Homura and the Apocalyptic Rift
by ronelm2000
Summary: When time-traveler Homura abandons the worldline in Madoka becomes Kriemhild Gretchen, can Mami, Sayaka, Kyouko, Kazumi, and the others fight the greatest witch in history? Is there still hope left for this world? Oriko x T4 Madoka x Kazumi crossover.
1. Prologue

It was a world all dark and grim, a world nothing is real and nothing but despair awaits to those who come to it.

A World of Death.

Factually speaking, everything has its consequences, even doing nothing.

A Balanced Wish.

With deapair comes hope, and hope after despair.

The Cycle of Life.

You can say only God can give people hope without an equal amount of despair.

Madoka.

Just as God gives hope without despair, you can say another entity does the exact opposite.

Kriemhild Gretchen.

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>ロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム<p>

_ronelm2000 presents  
><em>**Puella Magi Madoka Magica  
><strong>_Homura and The Apocalyptic Rift_

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>ロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム<p>

"General," an officer was bringing his report to a higher authority, a known general in the US army. It was World War III, but not in a way anyone expected. "Every attempt to explore the area has failed so far. This UFO, it doesn't even seem to listen to our negotiations."

"That thing," The General snuff in some cigarette, sighing at this chain of events. "must be stopped at all costs. To conquer Korea, Japan, Philippines, and half of China in 3 days...we're already cooperating with Russia to send in 47 fusion nukes to its source."

"Eh?" the officer took a step back. "That. is..."

"Sparta, yes I know that," the General held his composure. "We aren't even sure of what happened to the people inside that barrier, but if we don't make a move soon, who knows what'll it'll do next."

The General looked at the flag directly in front of him - the flag of the United States of America. Such a worldwide phenomenon must have its explanation, and such explanation, physics-defying, the General doesn't have such at all.

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On the other side of the world, things were just as vague. Hundreds of mahou shoujos have fled to San Francisco, California in a frenzy, escaping the wrath of this new, insanely powerful witch called by many as Kriemhild Gretchen. It's a good thing though, that somehow, only puella magis are seen in the whole city - it seems non-puella magis have fled this city as well. As for Kyubey, he is never to be found, thereby obliberating any chance to make a wish that could end this hell.

"Hey, does anyone of you have any reason why are we led here?" a Japanese puella magi named Hikari asked her fellow Japanese stranger puella magi, named Rika.

"Who knows? I could have fled to the french, but I heard this puella magi was...well...'collecting' puella magis for an attack against Kriemhild Gretchen. I thought I'd be one of those brave heroes, you know."

"Well, we all know that," Hikari sighed. "What I mean to say is why join?"

"...I...I...I want to know if my family...is still there." Hikari bowed her head, ashamed of her feelings which should not have emerged in such a time like this, especially in front of the waiting crowd. With the streets full of puella magis who came here for various reasons, selfish, non-selfish, or by chance. Whatever the reason, these 720 puella magis wait in the crowded streets to wait for someone to take over. Someone who led them here in the first place. Someone with the responsibility to lead the way.

And then someone stepped up to the stage ahead. She had blond hair, with her Soul Gem somewhere around there. her frilly yellowish design cannot probably be distingished from the other puella mqgi around, that is if they actually wore them. Her face clearly that of pure hope, as if they are part of some hellbent movie. It was Mami Tomoe.

"Hello fellow mahou shoujos," Mami started talking in English, her own magic enchancing the volume of her voice. Well, if only Kyubey was around that would be a lot easier. "You all know why we're all here. 3 days ago, a powerful witch was born called Kriemhild Gretchen. As of this time, much of the East-Southeast Asia has been added to her barrier. At this rate, it wouldn't take at least a week for Gretchen to assimilate the world into her barrier, and who knows what'll happen to the people who have entered her barrier. That's where we come in. I'm sure we can do it if our powers would combine."

"So, what happened to Kyubey?" another puella magi separated herself from the crowd. Much noticable are her white cape, blue sleveless suit, and aqua blue hair.

"Well, Ms. Sayaka Miki," Mami recognized her. "The most likely possibility is that Kyubey might have left Earth. We don't know for sure, though."

Mutterings start spreading.

"Kyubey...missing, and this witch appearing? Isn't that a bit coincidental?"  
>"GASP! W-W-What? I-If that's true, then why would he give us these powers? Err...to clean his mess...or something?"<br>"Scary...what makes us then?"

"Wait, are you saying...Kyubey deserted us?" another distinct voice enimated from one of the crowd. Almost instantly stripping off her casual clothes in favor of puella magi clothes, her tsundere-like eyes, red suit with near crimson hair, and that human-length spear.

"As it seems, yes, Ms. Kyouko," Mami looked up, hoping for some genius to explain all the details. "No one has seen or heard from Kyubey since the incident, so we have to presume that he's gone for reasons even I can't explain. I know this is hard on all of us, even up 'til now we're violating the territories of many of our resident puella magi, but please bear with me, and know that whether we like it or not, we have to work as a team. Thank you."

Mami stepped out of the stage, her legs shaking a bit. It was hard, considering to defeat such a monster, more than 2000 mahou shoujos would be needed, and yet no one's even sure wth those numbers that a victory is possible. But, like she herself said, it was almost like a forced cooperation, something these puella magi might or might not have thought of for the survival of the human race.

"H-Hey, Mami-san," Sayaka directly went to her on the left side of the stage. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thank you." Mami smiled. "I was just having a little stage fright, that's all."

"Stage fright, huh?" Kyouko was there, eating Pocky while the two were talking. "Doesn't seem like it though."

"You're partially correct, Kyouko." Mami breathed in and out. "I was also a bit excited, and also a bit worried."

"You mean those people, huh?" Kyouko stared at noisy crowd. It's not like they can't avoid it or anything. That threat of disagreement between these mahou shoujos is still there, merely crawling for a place to strike at with maximum damage. They can only minimize that damage.

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"US Alpha Air Squad 7 calling to base. We're now entering the East side conquered by the unknown UFO, roger."

"Action authorized. You may now enter the territory. Remember the mission: to send to the base information regarding the territory conquered by the UFO, to recieve information regarding the people that were conquered by this UFO, and to note any changes by the geographical topography of the conquered territories."

"Yes, sir. US Air Alpha Squadron, engage."

Several US jets have made their way to the East section of the barrier, which was still expanding. 8 jets have made their way to China on a recon mission to determine the state of the conquered nations. To much surprise, satellite scans have shown merely a thick dark-stripped mist, as if that territory has been closed from the world. Inside that territory, something terrible is inside, and tht have to know what is it.

The jet planes have scouted half of China and proceeded to Beijing. So far, there has been nothing.

Not even the sight of the people.

Not even a single plane, person, or vehicle exiting the vicinity.

It was utterly wierd, but nothing else was there but to continue. The jet planes proceeded to enter the barrier 50 meters ahead of them, forming a V formation as the planes enter the territory of the witch.

And then it happened. The recon air force team was met with massive distortions of all shapes, sizes, and forms on all sides of the ship, from unexplained stretching and twisting to moody color changes, but, as violent as they are, they haven't even put a single scratch on the ships.

And then they saw it: massively astounding visions on the inside of the barrier. Surreal pictures of flowers, stars, and the sun, quickly pssing through them like an extremely fast forwarded film of arts. Even the laws of physics, such as constant gravity, have been extremely distorted as they enter the territory, screwing their altometers and radars out of control.

"US Air Alpha Squadron 1, calling to base. Do you read...copy!"

There was no response. It seems as though they even distorted ionic radio waves.

"Sigh...US Air Alpha Squadron 2 , do you copy?"

Again, no response. Just how the hell can they contact the other squadrons this way?

"US Alpha Unit 4, do you read?"

"I read you, loud and clear, sir."

"Return to base, and report to the nearest US officer about the state here at the border. If don't return within 0100 hours, we are to be presumed as dead."

"Yes, sir, but isn't this a little too..."

"Orders are orders."

"Yes, sir."

As one of the jet planes leave the squadron to return to the base, the remaining planes further flew through the area, using high-detailed cameras installed in their planes to picture the grounds. They saw it all: people...civilians, and not just civilians, even officials, and strange creatures. They look more like blue-and-black striped stars with creepy masquerade-like faces, spawned all over around the area, some searching in buildings and houses, which, due to distortions, have become zig-zagged and, contrary to any laws of architecture, have no foundations whatsoever. Even the ground bore some kind of kid-sketched mist that seems to keep the people in a strange trance, much like hypnotism but on a large, unusual scale.

But they don't have enough time. Who knows what the enemy has in store for them if they don't leave soon.

"US Air Alpha Squadron 1, return to base at once, we have colected enough."

And then something wierd happens. Of the 8 jet planes, only 4 followed the order. The remaining 4, however, started losing altitude.

"Alpha Units 3, 5, 7, and 8 what are you doing?"

"Kriemhild Gretchen wants us to die for intruding her dreamland. We must fulfill it."

"Snap out of it! All other teams, retreat at once!"

The remaining 3 jet planes quickly turned around, running for their lives. And then, another weird thing, happens. Several planes show up, and they seem to emanate black mist like the ground was. Their logo...is of the Chinese!

"The...Chinese? Just what's happening?"

Several Chinese planes statred firing ballistic bullets [machine guns] towards their enemy US jet planes, who were trying to escape the barrier. Only a few hundred meters more, they thought.

Or so they think.

Suddenly, from the ground, several of those creatures started spewing black mist to the planes. Units 1 and 2 were hit, unfortunately.

"Alpha Units 1 and 2? Please tell me your okay?"

"Oh...we've never been better...thanks to Kriemhild Gretchen."

With that, only one jet plane remain. With no time to lose and with so many enemies pursuing him, the remaining failsafe must be executed.

"I-I'm sorry, USA, I have failed you."

With that, the plane fired a cannon, sending all information and logs of the remaining ship towards a long projectile path to The Pentagon, probably not taking 3 hours to do so.

Ultimately, they have failed to survive.

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Mami's speech was over, and for the remaining puella magi in the area, there's nothing left to do than to hope, chat, and always prepare for the worse.

(The chat is in English)

"...and that's why I always have at least 15 Grief Seeds to spare...just in case," a casual-suited American puella magi was talking to her fellow friend / team member, who is Filipino-American, and to 2 other teamates, one is Chinese and the other is Korean. Just who the hell came up with such a team-up?

"15 Grief Seeds?" Marcella, the Filipino-American responded with surpise. "How do you do it?"

"With the help of my other companions, of couse. We make quite a team, you know." Alicia, the American, made a thumbs up expression as they walk towards the nearest vacant apartment.

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Jeong, the Korean, laugh as if to make a fool out of Alicia's claim. "That's impossible. How can you do it when at max I can only get 5 a week alone?"

"You don't underestimate any mahou shoujo, dear Jeong," Lin, the Chinese, patted Jeong at the back as they proceeded inside the red, old building at her left, where several mahou shoujos are also chatting each other.

"She's right, you know," Alicia proudly declared. "As you can see, I have the ability to detect Soul Gems and Grief Seeds, even as far as 30 miles!"

"Wow, that's quite amazing..." Marcella left the group for a few seconds to get some drinks from a glass-broken vending machine. "No wonder they put you and our team in charge of collecting Grief Seeds."

_To know how Soul Gems become Grief Seeds is one hell of a secret I can't tell anyone. Am I being selfish, or am I being protective of what other puella magi think?_ - Alicia

"Well," Jeong said to her teamates as she opens the fourth door (forcefully) from the stairs where they came from, revealing a 2-bed family-size room with flowery designs. "I'm just glad I'm on a team that could be so cooperative, you know."

True of that fact, compared to this team of mahou shoujos, several of the formed teams, formed by mostly Mami and friends, are quite uncooperative with each other. They know there's very little time for that.

_Just be thankful, you know..._ - Lin

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Somewhere, in a tall skyscraper, somewhere along the streets of San Francisco, California, was a girl, lazily viewing the mahou shoujos passing by, as if to look at what they're doing. It was Mami, looking towards the crowd from the roof. It's not like mere falling through roofs will kill her, right?

"To lead...more than 500 mahou shoujos." Mami muttered to herself, as if somone's hearing her. "It's...quite overwhelming. And to think we're gonna need more than that."

"Sorry, I had to make you do it for me," a cold voice eminated from an open door. She had dark, long hair, with a grey suit much like mahou shoujos, but with a shield as weapon, however she does it...

"Oh, saying sorry?" Mami raised an eyebrow. "It seems I've never heard of you before saying that. Just who are you again?"

The girl took a step forwards towards Mami, as if reconfirming her identity.

"Like I said before, I am Homura Akemi."

『To Be Continued...』

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>Re-Edited: 0426/11


	2. EP 1: I'll bring her back

**Author Notes:**

As you see, I didn't put any author notes in the previous chapter. I just thought it would ruin the first chapter for me. To those who don't know, which usually means everyone, my laptop broke down prior to creating this story, and I don't know when I can finish my other works. (I'm sorry Yui-chan) Anyway, here I am bringing a story which would probably fill you up with what ifs, possible wishes that mahou shoujos would wish for, and about the state of the worlds of mahou shoujo and the mundane world as I apply rules from both pre-Madoka universe and Kazumi manga. And this time, I'll get more description done, and I hope I could do the spelling right. It's so hard (if not impossible) editing it in my phone that I end up not doing it. . c'mon , create an app for it!

ニエニエニエニエニエニ

**Disclaimer:**

This message merely exists to (possibly) satisfy those copyrighters, so I say it anyway. I only own the idea to this fanfiction, the unofficial OCs, and ideas that are unsure or unconfirmed within Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Puella Magi Kazumi Magica.

By the way, it's best that you play Connect (TV version) when you reach the chapter title strip and Magia (TV version) when you reach the To Be Continued strip of the chapter.

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_Episode 1  
><em>_"I'll bring her back"  
><em>_(Homura's Reincarnation)_

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"That was an epic battle," Kyubey exclaimed. It was no exaggeration, however, as Madoka, a simple ordinary girl from nowhere, has been contracted with such a magical potential unlike any other in history. "I had my expectations of her, but to defeat Walpurgisnacht in one hit, you can say it's nothing short of a miracle."

Kyubey was talking with Homura, a girl, undoubtedly a time-traveling mahou shoujo, who has repeated 1 month's worth of events thrice. It seems as though, as they're standing in a partially sinked truck, Homura's evil stare upon 'it' was unlike any other. Those purple eyes, staring at Kyubey's red, circular eyes. It was like like a staring contest, only where whatever you do, you cannot win against Kyubey's fixed expression.

"What happens now?" Homura bowed her head in defeat as she felt her failure in this timeline creeping in on her. At the most, she failed to stop Madoka from making the contact.

"To defeat the greatest of all witches, she stepped up to become the greatest of all mahou shoujos," Kyubey stopped for a while, but then continued on as he looks at the sky. "But like all mahou shoujos, her fate is but the same. To become greatest of all mahou shoujos, there's nothing left for her than to become the greatest of all witches."

A large creature arose from Madoka. For her Soul Gem to darken completely in merely 2 minutes, one can say it's the fastest ever that such a Soul Gem darkens. What had happened to Madoka? For Madoka, the greatest mahou shoujo ever, to defeat Walpurgisnacht in one blow, and then 2 minutes later turn into a witch? For Homura, it was more than an unexplainable phenomenon, it was a direct cheat upon Madoka, an innocent girl and her best friend, fooled by this manipulative bastard. She cannot take this despair any longer. She has to continue her fight, back into the past.

"Oh well," Kyubey stared at the sleeping Kriemhild Gretchen. "I've already filled my energy recovery quota for this world, so I'll let humanity take care of it."

Homura, pissed off from Kyubey's emotionless business logic, turned away from Kyubey, preparing her shield for the one month repeat. She knew herself that she cannot give up hope yet, that there's a way to change Madoka's fate.

"Where are you going?" Kyubey noticed Homura walking way from the scene. It doesn't seem like Gretchen will be waking up soon, so he figured she could finish it off at that time. "Aren't you going to join the fight?"

"No," she quickly responded, her cold, emotionless self taking over. "This is not my timeline."

"You are..." Kyubey stared at Homura, finally discovering her ability and her wish, but it was too late. In merely 2 seconds, Homura's Soul Gem dissolved into the open air as she travels into an alternate past, leaving Homura's body completely empty, just before another entity entered it again. It was this timeline's Homura's soul, as innocent as she is, into the new body. In an instant, this new Homura awoke from her slumber, unaware of the 1 month she, or at least her alternate universe entity, did.

"W-W-Where...where...am I?" _Homura_ instantly cried as she realizes this dispicable scene around her. For her, being in an unexplainable situation is the last thing in her mind.

"Akemi-san?" Kyubey asked _Homura_, startling her to a great degree.

"W-W-Wha...?" _Homura_, as startled as she is, took a step backward in fear, only to trip over and fall to the ground. "W-Who...are...you? W-What...am I doing here?"

"Don't you remember, Homura Akemi?" Kyubey stared at her, or, more or less, at her soul. "Anyway, I'm Kyubey, a familiar who gives wishes to people, who, in exchange, fight witches."

"Ehh?" _she_ glanced at Kyubey and then glanced at the situation around her, it was too full of chaos and destruction. _She_ couldn't believe it. Who knew there was such thing as magical girls fighting for evil. Just like that anime, huh...but what has happened here then?

But as it seems, somebody was screaming inside her. Something unexplainable, something not even psychology can help explaining is screaming something in her head. But what is it?

「Don't do it!」

Kyubey wagged his fox-like tail as she walks towards _Homura_. For Kyubey to be interested with this girl, it would seem that he stumbled on something really interesting.

"You know," Kyubey said. "I can give you one wish. Of course it would mean you would have to fight witches, if that's okay with you."

There she is, stuck behind the lines. For her to be living as of now, it must be a miracle already, but what is she doing here? What has happened to city, and...

"W-W-What's...t-t-that?" _Homura_ stared at the gigantic bleak creature, just waiting to be awaken, waiting to make its earth-shaking move upon Earth.

"That," Kyubey looked at the large being. "Is Kriemhild Gretchen...the greatest witch in history."

"C-C-Can't I do anything about it?" she, in response, asked Kyubey, filled with doubt and uncertainty being in this kind of scenario.

"Make a Contract with me, and you can win against Gretchen if you work together with other puella magi," Kyubey seemed to smile at that point. " 'cus, without your help, it wouldn't take Gretchen 10 days to destroy this world."

"T-Ten...d-days?" this Homura felt fear creeping in on her, but then, there he is, someone who could bring her hope for the future and an answer to a missing past. Pausing for a while, then, with newfound courage like a plucked laurel, she finally settled. "I-I'll do it. I'll take the contract."

"I see," if Kyubey had actual emotions, he would probably smile by now. "What is your wish that's worth your soul for... ?"

Kyubey prepared his last contractee on Earth, Homura Akemi, for the contract-signing, whatever it's called.

_Homura_ breathed in and out. Will she do it? Can she do it? Can she fully submit herself to fighting Kriemhild Gretchen and bring hope back again to a soon-to-be doomed world? But then that doubt is still there. Why was she doing here? What happened to her? Was she with someone, maybe a mahou shoujo, and encountered this Kriemhild Gretchen and failed? What Homura needs are answers, and maybe that will work? Homura almost felt short of her breath as she contemplated upon things too much and breathed in again, this time ready to give Kyubey her wish.

『I wish...I could know anything that I would need to know, whether its my memories, the state of the world, or how to become a great mahou shoujo to defeat any witch.』

"T-That's..." Kyubey stared at Homura. If he actually had the power to limit or filter a wish, he'd do it. Releasing Homura's Soul into a gem, a bright purple pillar of light swallowed Homura whole, giving her a huge influx of power almost unlike any other (with the exception of Madoka).

"This power," Kyubey's voice showed traces of amazement. " It's almost as strong...as Madoka's! Madoka's power can be explained, but yours...it's unbelievable!"

Homura's power went to the max as the bright pillar of light causes her clothes to be stripped apart, leaving her naked. Homura's body glittered like the sun, and eyes turned bright purple, signifying the new birth of a legendary mahou shoujo. That instant, Homura knew everything. Her past memories, her time-traveling self, her irreplaceable friendship with Madoka whom Kyubey fooled with deception, in-between that instant and the next, Homura ecountered so many kinds of emotion, from amazement to zeal, and from despair to bliss. She cannot see the future though, but she could see the past and the present, something like a two-thirds equivalent of an all-knowing god, being able to know anything else when required by the situation.

It was when Homura finally had it - a hope for the future, a possible hope for saving Madoka. It was something close to impossible, but it can be done. As the pillar of light dissipated into the air, Homura's suit changed (again) into her grey mahou shoujo suit, which, for the casual viewer's eye, might deem her as the same with her time-traveling counterpart, but for any mahou shoujo, her flowing purple aura is clearly seen as a sign of her overflowing magical potential, which has even exceeded her own Soul Gem. One might say that a mahou shoujo is her Soul Gem, but, for Homura, it was not the case anymore: her own body became part of her Soul Gem, and her Soul Gem's power flowing right through her body.

"This wish..." Kyubey's statement cut short as Homura stared into him, a despicable, yet logically sound being. Homura could only back away in disgust, only to look into him again.

Homura's eyes turned normal purple again as she looked upon Jedi Kyubey. Her cold expression returned, but rather than being empty, her face glittered with an unusually bright mood. While Homura still felt hatred towards Kyubey, unlike when she was the old Homura where in her methods had no sure outcome, trying to cheat out fate in vain, now she has learned of a new, better wayt to push Madoka out of her misery. Yes, Homura has changed so much in merely 10 seconds. With that in mind, Homura must make the necessary preparations - 4 days is enough. So, satisfied with her new plan, Homura turned away from Kriemhild Gretchen, into the nearest town, Furukawa City.

"So," Homura looked back at Kyubey. "Why did you made the contract with me, Kyubey, although...I already know why."

"It was your magical potential." Kyubey explained. "It was too large to be neglected, just like Madoka's. But yours, unlike Madoka's, was unexplainable. Sure, your wish made you more powerful then I expected, but still..."

"Can't it be just my time-traveling, just like Madoka's source of magical potential?" Homura suggested as she started running towards Furukawa City with Kyubey.

"No," Kyubey shook his head. "Madoka's source of power came from the fate lines your time-traveling counterpart did, and the fate lines of those worlds did not revolve around yours. I presume its something you'll do, something that involves the fate of the universe, but that's just my hypothesis. Well, I must be going now. I've stayed on Earth for too long. I presume my superiors have prepared some kind of punishment for me. At least now I have you as my alibi."

Homura held her composure, although she's a bit pissed at Kyubey's perfect logic. With this new power and this new-found knowledge, she can be sure to bring back Madoka.

_Just you wait Kriemhild Gretchen, I'll bring her back._ Homura muttered to herself.

They were now at the outskirts of the town, although all that can be found there is a wide plain full of wind-power generator wind mills. 10 minutes had passed after Madoka turned into a witch. Homura was glad, however, that her Grief Seed hasn't fully awakened yet, in spite of her just turning (again) into a puella magi.

"By the way," Homura asked Kyubey, just before Kyubey would disappear for good. "Have your race ever considered to learn from the humans?"

"What do you mean?" Kyubey titled his white, cute head.

"Have you ever considered a plan that doesn't involve turning us sentient beings into monsters?"

"We've thought of that," Kyubey said. "But it was too slow compared to this one."

With that Homura threw her shield upwards turning into some kind if energy-based 'surf board', fully plunging into Furukawa City while she still has time. Kyubey, on the other hand, scurried into the nearest crevice and there scurried along.

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Meanwhile, in the neighboring city of Furukawa City, things were not that good. Unlike Mitakihara City, it wasn't as fancy and all, but it was certainly full of witches. Here, three puella magi, Sayaka, Mami, and Mai, are individually tracking down 3 witches, all at different locations. It was a sticky situation for these three. Mami and Sayaka obviously are working double-time to make it back to Mitakihara City, especially as they have only a few minutes before Walpurgisnacht arrives in their own city. Such kind of pressure would surely take its toll on both of them.

"Hey, Mami-sempai," Sayaka was talking over to Mami through Kyubey's telepathic router. "I-Is it fine leaving Walpurgisnacht to her?"

"Honestly I'm bit worried myself, but there wasn't any need to," Mami replied. "Remember that time?"

ーニーニーFLASHBACKーニーニー

It was a dark night at Mitakihara City. Around the street, several of their lights are seen flickering the park where Mami has met a familiar once. For Homura to meet Mami, she must survive if she is to succeed in her plans to prevent Madoka from making the contract. But there was something unexpected that she didn't consider at all.

"You're...leaving for Furukawa City?" Homura asked, surprised by the turn of events. Homura knew he was focused on bringing down every witch by herself, but for Mami and Sayaka to leave this city is unthinkable.

"I was surprised when you unexpectedly show up and defeat every witch even before I got there." Mami explained. "There's no reason for me and Sayaka to stay here. Besides, I'm hearing news that Furukawa City had a sudden influx of witches recently. Dont worry, we'll go straight there when Walpurgisnacht comes. Besides, there's still Madoka. She has a lot of potential for a mahou shoujo, you know."

"That Kaname Madoka," Homura left a bit of hesitation in her often cold, blunt words. "will just be an obstacle."

"I don't about you, but you could use help, you know." Mami said in an attempt to befriend Homura. "Mahou shoujos are not supposed to be enemies, but comrades."

"No, thanks," Homura bluntly replied, leaving the vicinity. She had already resolved to be strong, even strong enough to defeat Walpurgisnacht by herself, without their help, without Madoka's help, without anyone's help.

ーニーニーニーニー

"We're kinda on a sticky situation right now," Mami conclusively said.

"But that kind of witch, Walpurgisnacht? Won't it destroy the city?" Sayaka worriedly responded.

"There's nothing we can do about it. Even a single second after Walpurgisnacht appears, the city is doomed to be in ruins. It was a good thing though that the people were evacuated in time."

"I don't know...Can I trust that girl with the fate of an entire city?" Sayaka skeptically asked.

For that time, silence filled the conversation. Nothing was to be said after all. Sayaka's right.

"I give up," Mami has succumbed to her 'student' Sayaka's implicit request. "Fine, we're going there, but after taking care of these witches."

Mami had now fully tracked down the witch, as well as Sayaka. Unusually enough, both Mami and Sayaka found themselves in a MiniStop convenience store surrounded by 3 large skyscrapers.

"Mami-sempai?" Sayaka stood there at one corner of the store, almost dumbfounded at this coinidence. But it was no time to stay idle. The two witches have already established their barriers, and both Mami and Sayaka could only stand as the barrier swallows them whole.

Mami looked at the surroundings. It feels more like the inside of a freezer in a refrigerator than a witch's domain. However, Mami must stay calm and alert if she's to survive this one. Using her mahou shoujo magic to keep her warm, she quietly scouted over the area for a way to get inside the witch's lair without encountering any of its familiars. It's mostly hard work, but it's usually worth it, as it's essential to energy management. Taking random doors, Mami stealthly searched for the witches' lair. Unusually enough, most of the dead-end doors Mami entered was full of ice cream and popsicle sticks, all in weird statues like something that came out from a master ice sculptor, all frozen in mid-air. The witches' snowflake-shaped familiars keep the the ice statues frozen, using some sort of blue lightning-like beam to keep it frozen. That's when Mami realized that she must be wary of those kinds of attack. As Mami closed the 5th door she opened since ending up here, she found it: the main room, guarded by two golem-like familiars with axes made of ice.

Mami telepathically contacted Sayaka, again using Kyubey as a router. (Note: According to her knowledge, Kyubey, or at thee very least, one of his copies, is with Mai Akane, one of the resident puella magi of this city.)

"How are things going there?" Mami asked Sayaka.

"Errm...I'm almost at the witch's lair. Why Mami-sempai?" Sayaka asked. In direct contrast to Mami's enemy witch domain, Sayaka's are more of an oven toaster than a real barrier, often scouted by archer familiars (unusually realistic fire-covered ones) that fire well...fire arrows. While its corridors are very similar to vault doors with locks, most of its dead-end rooms often contain reverse-colored toasted bread loaves and mold-filled homemade pizza, all being force cooked to (impossible) perfection with fat gnome-chef familiars. Quickly passing some rooms, avoiding any contact with the other familiars, she finally got to the door to the main witch's room. It's even more interesting to know how this door resembles a microwave door.

Sayaka could not help but sigh, "Why do I have the feeling this will take even longer than I thought?"

She was one door away from the main room, checking for possible obstacles in her witch-hunting. One thing came into mine: her Soul Gem. Just when was last time she had a purely cleansed Soul Gem? She remembered that time in Mitakihara City when most of the witches in the area barely had Grief Seeds, but here in Furukawa City, almost all the witches in the area have witches. Coincidence, perhaps? Anyway, it was no time thinking about it anymore; the important thing's it's perfectly cleansed, right? And as both Mami and Sayaka opened the door, they saw them. Two witches, almost alike, but different overall; almost the same, but opposing in elements; and almost like twins, and yet are nemesis.

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><strong>Eis Prinzessin and Feuer Prinzessin<strong>

_Nature:_ Preservation_  
>Description:<em>These witches are essentially the same in figure, looking very much like a human, usually sitting in a large, frilly designed throne, and are around 10 feet tall.

While these witches never intend to lure anyone in thier barriers, they have a huge hatred for any people and/or mahou shoujos who enter their barrier, intentionally or unintentionally, believing they will ruin their paradise in which they thrive on. Ironically, though, they never defend their barriers or ensure no human or mahou shoujo enters their barrier, as they only care about preserving their paradise.

The difference between Eis and Feuer is basically polar in nature. Eis has a dress made out of absolute zero hydrogen, whom she herself weaved to perfection, so her suit is more of a semi-transparent, semi-silver-colored royalty dress. Her 4 pointy fingers can create ice almost instantly, ans usually uses them to create ice sculptures of the mahou shoujo who violate her territory.

Feuer's 'royalty dress' is essentially blue fire, whom she manipulated into a perfect fit. These dresses reach temperatures of over 100,000°C, so any mahou shoujo should be careful when engaging this witch. Her hands are always burning, making it seem that they're fire, and any fire coming from these hands will never burn out.

Eis's body color is light blue, while Feuer's is orange.

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With no time to spare, Mami quickled engaged Eis Prinzessin, shooting various flintlocks on her, Eis Prinzessin quickly blocked the attack by summoning n ice wall and resolved to attack Mami, especially upon 'seeing' how hot Mami's temperature is. Quickly seeking to freeze Mami in her tracks, the witch summoned 10 miniature refrigerators in front of her, inside are those ice golem familiars she saw earlier. This is gonna be a long fight.

Sayaka's status was no good either, as the witch's lair has temperatures of over 350°C, barely keeping up with the necessary field temperature adaptation. The tiara-crowned humanoid witch, seeing the opportunity, brought out her archer familiars, all intended for the kill.

"Err...Mami-san?" Sayaka telepathically contacted Mami Tomoe upon seeing the situation.

"Well," Mami telepathically responded as she barely dodged the attack of one of the ice golems. "I'm kinda busy right now."

"Oh good," Sayaka sighed. "I'm busy as well. Don't tell me, a princess covered in ice?"

Sayaka settled to attack the archers with her sword, quickly dodging every attack done by them using mahou shoujo magic. Defeating the first of the archers, she just as quickly spawned 3 swords one after another, throwing them directly towards the other archers, but, unexpectedly, Feuer Prinzessin anticipated the attack, firing a blue will-o-wisp-like bullet into her shoulders, making Sayaka scream out 'cus of the burn. Just as Sayaka thought, these flames were more than mere decorations. They pierce through the Soul.

「Sayaka's Soul Gem: 20% Darkened」

「Mami's Soul Gem: 15% Darkened」

Mami spawned several flintlocks, firing them in a straight line in fast succession, but only one of the bullets actually hit the shoulder of the witch, enraging her even further as to fire ice beams directly to Mami. With enough luck and instinct, Mami reflexively shot a ribbon upward, again barely dodging the attacks. And then it hit her: an ice golem fired a second ice beam into the string, freezing and breaking it, losing Mami's altitude control and falling over to the ground, now surrounded by 10 more ice golems. This is bad.

Two golems were closing in on Mami, pointing their ice-made ax towards her. Never ready to give up just yet, Mami spawned several more flintlocks from the ground, hitting their heads just like in that zombie movie, with blue blood spewing out out them like geysers, but the Princess interceded, firing a second ice beam in her wrist, immobilizing it completely in frozen ice.

"I-Is...the...end for me?" Mami can't help but cry in this adversity, remembering her first meeting with Kyubey. All that trauma, coming back to her like a sudden flow of emotions, quickly accelerating the darkness in her Soul Gem. Is there still hope now?

"No," a cold voice eminated from the door where she came from, firing several magical bullets from the ice golems. With lightning-speed agility, she quickly reached for something under her hyperspace arsenal, a new weapon - a blue-colored light-saber, swiftly piercing through the crowd of ice golems as if they're merely stones in a highway full of cars.

"Eh? You're..." Mami, shocked 'cus of these chains of events, glanced at the mahou shoujo who saved her life, recalling someone, but quickly dispatched that thought due to the difference in their power level. "no...who are you?"

The girl merely flickered her black hair in this midst of adversity, "I am...Homura Akemi."

『To Be Continued...』

Dark grey clouds have started covering Japan, a signpost of events soon to come. Somewhere along the shores of Ishihama Beach in Hitachi City, hundreds of Kyubeys have secretly searching their way into one of the rendezvous points. It was certainly hard to establish them all over this place called Earth by these sentient beings called humans, and also just as certainly hard to bring them back.

"Kaname Madoka and Akemi Homura were a huge success in our plans, don't you think?" Kyubey asked, but who was he asking to?

_'True,'_ a distinct Incubator with a black cat body and a face similar to Kyubey appeared in front him. _'but certainly it's nothing compared to what I discovered, a different kind if mahou shoujo.'_

"Umm," Kyubey 'felt' curious. "What do you mean?"

_'I wouldn't want to disclose the details, but let's just say I've found THE fastest way of solving this entropy problem, and we wouldn't even need anymore mahou shoujos.'_ this Incubator replied in unholy glee.

"Interesting," Kyubey concluded. "I trust you continue your experment."

_'Oh, sure I will,'_ a huge evil-looking grin fell in his face. Unlike Kyubey's smile (fixed expression) which was naturally cute, this Incubator's smile was on a whole new level of creepiness._ 'I'll keep track on her too. She seems interesting.'_

If Kyubey knew the expression of sighing, he would have done so by now.

"And this is the reason our race never wanted such emotions," Kyubey settled in, just before disappearing into the darkness along with other Kyubeys.

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Preview:

"Life is precious, and everyone has the right to be independent. But to lead them to the right path is another different thing. Disputes occur, and misjudgement is certainly forbidden, especially in times where it's needed the most."

Next episode: "I'm no leader"


	3. EP 2: I'm no leader

**Author Notes:**

I don't know if anyone's following, but, as you see, I'm putting in 2 different time frames in Even and Odd chapters, Chapters 1,3,5, being 3 days advanced from Chapters 2,4... Ehehehe…

Anyway, a big thanks to those who reviewed my story. =S Things will get more complicated from here. Ehehe…

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By the way, it's best that you play Connect (TV version) when you reach the chapter title strip and Magia (TV version) when you reach the To Be Continued strip of the chapter.

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There are three words to describe San Francisco, California right now: puella magi crowded. In fact, you can say that San Francisco has become a capital for puella magi, and, consequently, witches. With the constant appearace of witches in the area, it makes one wonder how such dark secret of puella magi turning witches even stay secret.

Mami Tomoe, who just came down from the roof to supervise the incoming mahou shoujo in the area. It is important that no civilians would end up here, considering the situation of a world War III and strict migration to the Eastern Side of the United States of America.

R_eally_, Mami muttered to herself. _I couldn't understand how Homura managed to get all that power from a single wish. Kyubey...where are you now? _

A short-haired girl appeared in the midst of it all. Unlike most of the girls in the puella magi crowded streets, t Lohere was something unusual in her, whether it's her orb-like bell earrings or her weird ahoge that acts more like a wind vane than a part of her hair, one cannot describe that unusual feeling: a feeling that this girl is not your usual puella magi.

"Umika-chan! Kaoru-chan!" the girl shouted over the busy crowd but to no avail. With such a short height and cute looks, anyone can mistake her for a child.

"Hello there, little child," It was Mami Tomoe, in her mahou shoujo suit who called over to this girl in Japanese. "Are you lost?"

The girl sighed, "You can say I am, but I presume you mean more than that."

"Umm...? What do you mean...?" Mami asked, hesitated for a while as she looked upon the other mahou shoujos, and asked again. "Were you looking for your friends?"

The girl's eyes shimmered as she held hands in her. Finally, someone who understood her! The girl smiled beautifully as Mami compassionately held her hand — what warmth for a stranger! But just as she thought she understood, she noticed that Mami was going further mainland, to the other side of one of San Francisco's Eastern bridges.

"W-Where are we going?" she could not help but ask.

"We're going to the Military Center little girl. I'm sure you'll find your friends there."

Realizing the situation, the girl quickly let go of her hand.

"_Baka_," the girl bowed her head in retreat, she must have misunderstood as well. "I'm a mahou shoujo too you know!"

Mami stopped for a while, and her eyes widened, unsure of what was she about to say next. This kid is actually a puella magi? Obviously it's considerably hard to believe, but, considering how weird things have turned out since that day, she would have to make an exception.

_Let's just say that she's merely a young, naive mahou shoujo with much to learn, _Mami thought to herself.

"All right," Mami turned around 180 degrees, and started walking back to the base of operations, still holding the girl's seemingly frail hands. "So it is. What's your name?"

The black haired girl smile shimmered.

"My name is...Kazumi. Amnesiac Kazumi."

ロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

_Episode 2  
>"I'm no leader"<em>

ロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

_It was somewhere, out there, something inside that labyrinth of memories, is the pure soul of any person, good or bad._

Somewhere, something, someone—an indescribable remnant of the soul—was crying bitterly in the midst of an immeasurable void, crying over a body that cannot exist anymore, bringing in immeasurable amounts of grief that cannot be emptied. It was a sorrowed deity, a goddess who wished she was never born: a deity who wanted to take away the people's grief, but ended up becoming the source of the grief instead.

Kriemhild Gretchen stood over Mitakihara City, now the captial of a new power in a dreamland in a world where no grief can ever exist. They do not understand. The world does not understand. Will they ever understand? As Kriemhild Gretchen locks away Madoka's humanity at the very center of her Grief Seed, nothing but grief remained: a grief that cries out to someone. Is there someone out there that could possibly empty these feelings of despair?

And then she remembered a dream, a dream that seemed all too real, a dream of a friend she lost somewhere along the way. For a witch, she can still remember a piece of humanity. And that person was...

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_H-Homura-chan..save me._

A voice seems to whisper to Homura Akemi. That voice was too familiar for Homura; she couldn't help but shed a some tears, whether it was tears of hope, tears of sorrow, or tears of regret she was unsure herself, but one thing's for sure, she must move quickly, setting aside these emotions for now for the greater good of the world, whom her other, innocent self has sworn to protect. Homura Akemi, supervising over the mahou shoujos preparing for the not-so-long expedition to Japan, took her time supervising the mode of their transportation to Japan. Around a hundred mahou shoujos have been working almost overnight for this, even before the actual meeting, creating large planes, powered by despair flowing out of Kriemhild Gretchen, and consequently, used Grief Seeds.

A mahou shoujo emerged from one of the planes, jumping off from the roof with an eccentric mood unlike any other. Taking off her glasses for a while, the twin-tailed girl's serious face cannot be neglected now.

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><strong>Zhuo Ling<strong>

_Weapon:_ Long Pins  
><em>Speciality: <em>Mechanical Inginuity  
><em>Nationality: <em> Chinese  
><em>Description: <em> Zhuo is a 5"6' Chinese with tsundere-like eyes who would usually prefer her twin tailed, long, dark purple-dyed hair to be smooth, yet never comes around to actually do it, more often referring to others or her mahou shoujo magic to do that work, being always busy with her experiments and all. Having quite a fair complexion and near snow white skin, one might wonder why she doesn't have a boyfriend, until he realizes one thing that changes it all: her extremely egotistical nature, expected of a mad scientist.

History serves that she was a born genius with wild ideas about technology, often gotten around to having very wild ideas, such as wireless batteries, or potato-powered HDTVs, but never getting around to actually making them because of her lack of knowledge in mechanics. So when Kyubey recruited her, she wished for unparalleled mechanical knowledge, bringing cheating and hacking technology in China to such a degree unlike any other in the world, in that The Great Firewall of China was formed in an attempt to stop such infamous advancement, but to no avail.

Her mahou shoujo form is a lot different from her usual form, having an extremely frilly white lab coat with hair that seems to act like tentacles, instinctively catching anything in her back, but it's not really her main weapon. Her actual main weapon is inside her lab coat: pins of all kinds of sizes that she can teleport at will to any place she wishes, even inside the person's body. The only downside to this is that these pins are quite relatively slow in regenerating, giving an enemy mahou shoujo enough time to escape or make a single attack.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

"So how's the plan ongoing, Zhuo?" Homura asked the mahou shoujo in Chinese. (May you need to be reminded of her extensive knowledge?)

Zhuo merely snickered, quickly presenting various blueprints and excitingly replied in Chinese, "Are you kidding? These plans ... even I haven't thought of it! Who knew that this dark energy in Grief Seeds, the very energy used by witches, can be used to power up something as granddd as this?"

_That'll be those Incubators. _- Homura

Homura glanced at the mahou shoujo's masterpiece. 100 planes, all powered by single Grief Seeds, all having weird designs (Just how can you describe something so childish that it makes anyone nearly vomit just for its design) looking like green leeks in some purple-red-peach backdrop. In spite of the nauseous picture, however, Homura held her composure, further examining the necessary blueprints for the planes. Homura then scouted around, and noticed something quite disturbing. Surrounded by several monochromatic grey contraptions of unknown kind, a single slot was alotted as its central figure. It had a perculiar hole, which seems to imply the slot for a Grief Seed.

"Only one used Grief Seed is needed for each plane?" Homura slightly raised her eyebrow, a feat of hers rarely done ever.

"Yes, about that," her right hand pointed to a particular section of the blueprint, while the other hand made an ok signal to an incoming mahou shoujo who was working on the actual construction of the planes. "Each Grief Seed has quite an enormous amount of energy. You could say...100 atomic bombs."

Homura didn't even flinch, unexpectedly surprising the so-called mechanical genius.

"With the blueprints you gave to me," Zhuo smiled. "We'll have enough energy to reach Kriemhild Gretchen with more than enough energy to spare for weaponry systems!"

Homura silently sighed. It's not that she's disappointed or anything like that, but it's this girl that anyone can hardly deal with. If only this girl, this mahou shoujo, wasn't the only technical genius in this city full of mahou shoujo, she wouldn't have bothered in the first place. But for Homura Akemi, who allowed for it anyway, this plan is absolutely important in determining the fate of the world. Kyubey was right on many things, and one of them is the fact that she has been holding the fate of a whole world ever since 3 days ago, being the greatest mahou shoujo in the world. Is this what they call...destiny? Or is there something much more than that? But now, the focus must be on Madoka, and her one-in-a-million chance on saving Madoka from her grief and everyone from the fate of the world they all live in, a world that had been manipulated by Kyubey, that is up till three days ago, when he left Earth.

"Weaponry...systems?"

"I'm glad...you asked," an evil-looking smile described the very essence of what they call the mad scientist puella magi. Revealing her 'mad scientist' remote control, she pressed one of the buttons, instantly revealing several weaponry of various sizes. Noise premeated the entire plane, but to the mad scientist, it was the sound of heaven.

"Let's see...we have quantum-proton cannons that can tear through any kind of obstacle, tearing the object apart, atom by atom, to the point of separating carbon dioxide into carbon and oxygen,"

The sound of laser soon followed, effectively splitting the sea up to the not-so-far horizon.

"...laser beams that can pierce through the brains of any familiar, if they had one, EMP wave cannons that will fry any machines in our way, and of course, molecule reconstructors that can recreate any kind of dish."

"And that molecule reconstructor's part of the weaponry system because-"

"Don't. Ever. Question. The mind. Of a mad scientist!"

The mahou shoujo screamed her heart out, catching the attention of several mahou shoujos, who couldn't help but giggle at the scene. Understandable enough, since, it's been a while since she actually took pride of her own work. She even remembered yesterday's work, which had quite the devastating result...

"...I'll imagine I didn't saw that."

You can say that Kyubey recruits the weirdest of girls.

"So..." Homura continued. "How long can a plane consume the despair of a grief seed?"

"Around..." Zhuo thought about it for a while. "a year. Even activating all weapon systems, it'll take a month."

"A year," Homura paused for a while, recreating her thoughts and her plans for the attack."…is not enough."

"EHH?" the girl nearly jumped in shock. "You want..."

"If possible, a system that clears it all in a single blow. We don't have enough Grief Seeds to carry around. All we can do recycle them. That's where the system comes in."

"Do you know what you're thinking?" the girl maniacally started laughing. "We're talking absolute acceleration of the heat in our mother Earth! Heat madness with a corresponding advanced climate change! Greenhouse effect kicking off a notch! But since you said so...Whahahaha!"

Zhuo ran off to one of the planes, there to recalibrate the system. Homura breathed in and out, signifying the end of a hard-to-deal conversation.

_If it wasn't for her intellectual mind I wouldn't have to deal with her myself. _Homura muttered to herself.

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Mami looked at her watch as they walk upon through Balboa Street—destination, the shore—in her hands probably one of the youngest mahou shoujo she ever seen in her life: Kazumi, a girl who's said to be have amnesia. Just how could amnesia happen to 'people' like puella magi? It's just out of the question.

"4:30 pm," Mami sighed. Tomorrow is the day of reckoning, the day they'll proceed in finally attacking Kriemhild Gretchen. These four days of preparation have been so hard for everyone. That work of migrating thousands of mahou shoujos out of Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and China to help with the necessary preparations, and the settlement of various strongholds and bases for the resistance against Kriemhild Gretchen. It has always been a constant problem, as without Kyubey, it takes great pain to even contact them all. Not even the internet can help, as the witch domain has already distorted much of the internet pipelines connecting much of Asia. Cell phones are no good either, seeing Gretchen has distorted various cell sites through her domain. It's a good thing though that telepathic mahou shoujos (10% of the total population of mahou shoujos) contribute that much for contact.

It is through their help that an invaluable coordinated attack has been established. Over the Eastern side of the world, in Laos, is roughly 860 mahou shoujos, most of which have fled from Vietnam, Central and Southeast China. In various parts of the Philippines, Japan, and Korea, small (around a hundred mahou shoujos) communities have made hidden strongholds throughout the witch's domain, barely making it, especially with such a scarcity of Grief Seeds, food, shelter, and morale.

As for the puella magi in Europe, Southern America, and Africa, there has been no word from them. Surely they should have, at least, responded to their calls of help? But... have they actually gotten ahold of the situation at hand? Don't they know how desperate these times are already?

As Mami walked towards the base somewhere along the shores of San Francisco, where she supposed to meet with various leaders, including Homura, Kyouko, Sayaka, and many others, the helpless Kazumi couldn't help but stare at various buildings throughout San Francisco.

_-Is she even aware of the state of the world?_

"So what do you remember?" Mami asked. "Or should I say how did you manage to get here?"

"It was through the help of Kaoru-chan and Umika-chan and the others that we made it of out of Japan alive. She said a powerful witch domain was spreading and was soon to come here, and we have to retreat." Kazumi's tears flushed through her eyes. "W-Why...why did we have to leave them all behind?"

It was that time when Mami finally realized her feelings, feelings that any magical girl needs evade as soon as possible - despair. Here we have a girl, a young girl who has to be involved with the fate of the world, who had to leave her parents and the ones she would want to protect behind. Mami herself, if she had any more relatives, could easily have fallen to such in having to leave them behind, to let them be conquered by Kriemhild Gretchen, and to retreat rather than taking the fight there now. But...

"If you didn't retreat, you would have died in vain in the hands of Gretchen," Mami said, wiping away Kazumi's tears. "Let's go find your friends; I'm sure they're worried about you. And also..."

Mami placed her fingers in Kazumi's lips, pushing them upwards.

_Wait...?_ Mami suddenly remembered something. _Kaoru-chan? Umika-chan? Did I heard it from somewhere?_

"Don't lose hope, or else you'll be a further burden, okay?" Mami smiled, ignoring her thoughts.

"T-Thanks," Kazumi naturally smiled. "I'm glad I got to know such a nice mahou shoujo. Thank you, onee-chan."

"Eheheh..." Mami's cheeks blushed in reflex. "W-We'll go to our base of operations first. We're already ready for the plan to go to Kriemhild Gretchen's territory."

"Sure," Kazumi's tears were completely gone, now replaced by a permeating excitement. "Let's go!"

Mami held Kazumi's hand all the way as Kazumi and Mami face the visible shore with the bright, yellow sun ahead of them. It really didn't matter what people thought at the time or what people said, but what matters is that Mami knew there and there that whatever happens, she knew now the hidden feelings inside of them, why none of them ever gave up to Kriemhild Gretchen, and why in spite of all that's happen or impossible odds, they'll fight for the world, even the most selfish of mahou shoujos, because they believe something so promising, yet abstract feeling called hope. Wasn't that the reason there's such thing as a mahou shoujo in the first place?

As Mami and Kazumi finally reached the shores of San Francisco, California, they were met with hundreds of planes, all in line in a steady matter. It was a good thing the shores of San Francisco, California were quite suitable for plane building, the ground being quite plain and all. Hundreds of mahou shoujos are seen at the scene, some using firepower (with real fire) to put the plane parts together, some carrying large metallic bars (as long as 40 feet and as thick as 2 meters) to the site, with another mahou shoujo warping its shape to the required dimensions. Some mahou shoujos were on the work, some using telekinetic abilities to quickly arrange hundreds, if not thousands of circuits, being careful as to avoid any error, as any single one can claim the lives of possibly a hundred mahou shoujos. Other mahou houjos were busy with testing the system, checking for bugs and possible errors in the circuitry, all while Zhuo manages the blueprints, making weird expressions and orders that only a few understand. It was obviously no time going to any beach to be lazy. It was a time of war.

There in the wide beach, was Homura Akemi, Sayaka Miki, Kyouko, Zhuo Ling, and many others; all waiting for Mami, in their eyes a mix of curiosity and stress. Homura was no good in being the morale booster, while Sayaka and Kyouko are obviously busy with their own work, with Kyouko being the supervisor of the Witch Hunting Teams and Sayaka responsible for the Assault Teams.

"I'm sorry I was late," Mami smiled in an attempt to accept her alibi. "I had to take care of some things."

Homura caught the attention of the girl beside her. Surprised, as if she found something extraordinary, Homura caught her attention, unexpectedly focusing her cold eyes upon the startled Kazumi. With no time to spare for the specific, however, Homura continued with the supposed meeting.

"How are the preparations: Zhuo," Homura directly stared at her, as if to intimidate. "Have you developed the system yet?"

"Eheheh..." Zhuo bowed her head for a second, her left hand in her glasses. "Whahahaha! You can say it was a huuuuge success! As you know we're using the power of the darkness in Grief Seeds to power-up our planes, well...I have developed a system to clear any used Grief Seed."

Zhuo lifted her hand, sending a signal to some of the mahou shoujos in the area: a large device, with several slots for Grief Seeds, and a large chute at the top.

"Behold!" Zhuo declared. "My Grief Transporter 9000+!"

"Skip your masturbatingly complicated stuff and proceed with the simple system." Homura quickly said. Not to being forced or anything, but everyone's on quite a tight schedule.

"Geeez, Homura..." Zhuo groaned. "Anyway, it's basically a system to send the Grief of Grief Seeds to space. At least that way we can avoid any more additional energy to be added to our ecosystem. We have only a few units of it, but it can accommodate up to 40 Grief Seeds."

Homura continued on the discussion.

"I'm pretty sure Zhuo's team's done with the planes," Homura then stared at Sayaka. "How's the Assault Teams?"

"Most are done," Sayaka sighed. "It was hard work organizing them you know."

"We don't have the time to contemplate about it any further," Homura admitted. "Kyouko! Status Report on the Witch Hunting Teams."

"It's just as you said," Kyouko seemed irritated. "We've collected as much as 900 Grief Seeds already, but I'm pretty sure it ain't enough, huh?"

"It isn't," Homura coldly declared, almost pissing Kyouko off. "T-T-Thanks...anyway."

Kyouko unexpectedly calmed down, seeing Homura doing something she barely does - thanking people, "T-Thanks."

"And Mami," Homura asked. "Where did you found Kazumi?"

"Ehhh...?" Mami gasped, startled by Homura's statement. " Y..you know...-"

Homura didn't have more time to think, asking Mami again, this time in a more aggressive manner, "Where did you find her?"

"Over…at Balboa Street, why?" Mami, confused at Homura's question, looked at the now frozen Kazumi.

"Kazumi," Homura said. "You were trying to find your friends, right?"

"Y-Yes..." Kazumi responded, "Why?"

"It's the Pleiades Saints, correct?"

"_H-Hai..._" Kazumi settled down for a bit, just before Homura brought out a stunning conclusion.

"4 days ago, as you all remembered," Homura noted. "The Pleiades Saints were almost killed by an unknown witch, about the same time you got missing. This witch killed fifty mahou shoujos before disappearing, just when you appeared."

"What 'r you saying?" Kyouko angrily strangled Homura. "That this girl's that witch you've...been finding in San Francisco?"

The others were too shocked to know where the conversation's going, barely responding in Homura's series of actions.

Homura got a hold of Kyuoko's hand, merely twisting them in such a matter that Kyouko screamed because of the pain, something that would have been unbearable is she was actually human. For an idealist like Mami, fights like this never lead to anything good.

"Kazumi..." Homura looked upon Kazumi's innocent eyes again. "Do you remember anything these last 2 days?"

Mami couldn't help but stare at Kazumi again. Just what happened with this girl?

"When was the last date you remember?" Mami asked, but to no avail.

Mami breathed deep, neglecting the fact that Kazumi didn't answer her previous question, "Hey, Kazumi, do you remember what happened?"

Kazumi's head seem to wave back and forth, as if trying to remember something. What's happening to Kazumi? For someone like Kazumi who has amnesia, it must be hard. Mami couldn't imagine herself being in Kazumi's shoes at all. What does it mean to have amnesia, to forget your old personality, develop a new one and suddenly remember what you used to be? And then something hit her.

"I-I..." Kazumi felt down on her knees, crying. "I...remember now. What...what...have...I done?"

Realizing the weight of her burden, Kazumi got up her feet and ran away from everyone, running towards the main land.

"Why'd you do that?" Kyouko screamed directly at her, punching her directly at her cheeks. "She was just a child! She didn't have to know it! Of all people, you were supposed to be the leader!"

"But," Homura reasoned out. "I am no leader."

"You...!" Kyouko punched her again, this time with enough force to keep her on the ground for a few seconds.

"Kazumi!" Homura, recovering from her injuries, reached out to her, but without any luck, Kazumi was steadily getting further and further away to the deserted streets. But, determined to solve the mystery involving Kazumi, and to finally reveal to herself how she can bring Madoka back, Homura ran out to her, following her through Balboa Street, catching the attention of merely every mahou shoujo around, just before Homura noticed something: they were entering a witch's barrier.

"This is..." Homura muttered to herself.

Kazumi, realizing that she got inside the barrier, finally stopped, catching the attention of her surroundings. She's now officially lost.

"Where...?" Kazumi hesitated for a while, just before realizing she was now on a witch's barrier.

The surroundings were full if mirrors – mirrors all around the area, in an endless labyrinth of mirrors. No flight is possible, as even the roof of the labyrinth is covered in mirrors. Kazumi flinched, seeing hundreds of her selves, all seeming to stare directly at her.

"We all know you did it..." her mirror counterpart whispered in her ear. "You did it. "

Endless whispers started to reverberate around Kazumi, further driving her insane.

"Stop it...! STOP IT! SHUT UP!" Kazumi shouted out, changing her suit into a mahou shoujo one, summoning her weapon, a large cross, and hitting one of the mirrors. This, however, did nothing. As the force she used to hit the mirror only ended up bouncing back to her, throwing her off into the other side, the endless whispering torment continued much like an endless chant. Kazumi instinctively covered her ears with her hands, only to find out that the voice wasn't coming from her ears.

It was from her mind.

"We all know what you've done," the whisper in one of the mirrors kept on creeping on her. "Say it! You deserve to die. 'I deserve to die.' "

"H...he...lp...me..."

Kazumi's concisiousness started fading away. Her vision wildly wavered, as her nearly dilluted mind succumbs into nothingness. Gunshots reverberated throughout the labyrinth, further making Kazumi scream. It wasn't just any gunshots though; it was Homura, now in front of the psychologically mutilated Kazumi.

"Look," Homura said, forcibly making herself smile in front of Kazumi. "Please come back."

Kazumi turned her head back, seemingly refusing the request, but unbeknownst to herself, she was already crying.

"I...don't understand this...why have I done it. Why have I hurt my friends? Why... am I still...?"

"I can explain it to you," Homura said, again in an emotionless tone. "There's no time. Please come back. I can take you back to them."

Kazumi would have refused, but...

"A-Alright...errmm..."

"Call me Homura-chan..."

Kazumi frowned over the fact that there's thus memory of her that she just couldn't accept, but now's not the time. They either come back together now or die anyway.

Homura looked at her surroundings, disgusted over the witch that has been following them all this time.

"Kazumi, watch out!" Homura instinctively pushed Kazumi to the side, almost getting hit by a bullet from one of the mirrors.

"W-What...?" Kazumi looked around, only to see nothing but their images, mirrored, all seeming to be mere imitations of the real thing.

"This...witch..." Homura whispered.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー  
><strong>Kagami<strong>

_Nature: _Imitation

_Description: _True to its origin name, Kagami is no ordinary witch. She doesn't have any real form, and neither does she have anything original, but rather relies on her large mirror domain to copy others' attacks and strike them in such a matter that no one can expect. Kagami is a master of imitation, who constantly lures mahou shoujo and humans alike in her barrier just so that she could have something to copy. Be careful when encountering this witch, as to defeat it you have to strike at the mirror where she's at. One wrong move and your own attack will be mirrored back to you, most often killing the person or mahou shoujo. Unusually also, she takes great joy in psychologically torturing people.

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Nothing was safe in this domain. While only mirrors surround this domain, those are the very mirrors that this witch had been hiding in, merely waiting for the right time to strike her guests. For Homura, she is no ordinary witch.

"Let's get out of here," Homura said to Kazumi.

"Eeeeeeheeeeheeeehhh," a wide, high-pitched witch-like sound echoed throughout the barrier. "You cannnn never get out. NEVER!"

A second bullet came from one of the mirrors, attempting to kill Kazumi with a hefty laugh. Homura herself didn't expect this, turning around to see the bullet only milliseconds away from Kazumi's heart. There was no time to dodge.

"H-Homura-chan...!"

It was too late when Kazumi noticed it, Homura, falling to the ground with a hit of a bullet directly in her heart.

"Homura-chan...! Homura-chan!"

『To Be Continued...』

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Preview:

"Time is the most precious thing in the world, but what can you do when you can't always have the time in the world? It doesn't matter if time is short, as long as it is possible."

Next episode: "There's no time."


	4. EP 3: There's no time

**Author Notes:**

So well, I'm delayed. Damn. Here it is, more Kyubey theories, possible Timeline 4 events, and explanations on why Sayaka didn't turn witch. And oh, a Character Blender of *is shot*

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**Plot:**

Homura Akemi, the time traveler, has left a worldline in which Madoka becomes Kriemhild Gretchen, the greatest witch of all time, and Kyubey leaves Earth. With the help of nearly 1000 mahou shoujos, including Kyouko, Sayaka, Mami, Kazumi, and a different and more powerful Homura, can they defeat this witch and bring about hope again to an impending apocalypse?

Computer Edit: 05/19/11  
>(So many spelling errors. Y_Y Hey bonesxbreak, care to beta this story?)<p>

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**Disclaimer:**

This message merely exists to (possibly) satisfy those copyrighters, so I say it anyway. I only own the idea to this fanfiction, the unofficial OCs, and ideas that are unsure or unconfirmed within Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Puella Magi Kazumi Magica.

By the way, it's best that you play Connect (TV version) when you reach the chapter title strip and Magia (TV version) when0p you reach the To Be Continued strip of the chapter.

It was a bleak situation for someone like Mami to survive such an attack...yet here she is, some how alive, albeit in a circumstance she herself cannot understand anymore. Here is a girl, in front of her, previously without a single trace of hesitation, mercy, and emotion, actually protecting her from a witch. It was Homura Akemi, in front of a situation she didn't imagine (or at least her time traveling counterpart did) would happen to her. Mami lay partially paralyzed on the ground, while this girl, with an unusually different aura than before, fighting something as tricky as this witch called Ein Prinzessin, all while surrounded by 10 large golem familiars with ice axes that will freeze your soul to death, all while in a -20°C temperature witch domain, fighting against a -273°C being. Can this day get any worse?

"Are you alright?" Homura asked, as if having emotion for once.

Mami herself didn't expect such words from Homura, hesitating as she nodded, using mahou shoujo magic to heat up her frozen wrist.

"Of all the magical girls in the world, you're the one I least expected." Mami said as she stood up while Homura, seeing the oppurtunity, struck all 10 ice golems with her lighting-fast light-saber.

"Don't get the wrong idea," Homura said as she flickers her hair in the wind. "This is for something bigger than any of this."

The silence continued on for a while.

"That's unusual..." Mami stared at Homura, looking at her eyes with utmost interest. "You seem to different from the Homura I knew. Are you sure you're really Homura?"

"Not exactly," Homura's response was coupled with additional slashes on the incoming familiars, while Mami, with her multiple flintlocks, took down some of the heads of the others, only leaving behind the Princess, drenched in anger at the new intruder.

With enough luck, Homura went directly for the witch, running towards Ein Prinzessin with a blue light-saber in her one hand, and a hyperspace arsenal / shield / 'surf' board on the other.

"What are you doing?" Mami shouted over to Homura.

"I'll finish this witch," Homura declared as she put back her light-saber in her hyperspace arsenal, exchanging it for a multi-rocket launcher, and proceeded to fire a couple of shots. Like what happened with Mami's bullets, it froze in front of her face, but Homura, anticipating the move, pulled out an AK47, hitting the rocket shells and burning the witch alive. (It was the explosion that killed the witch, not the heat.)

Mami simply stood there, stunned more than ever on Homura's new-found magical potential. As the surroundings starts bending and warping again as it returned to normal, Mami continued on to stare at Homura as she picked up a Grief Seed, especially noticing the purple aura flowing through Homura's body. Will she tell her the truth of the matter, or keep a farce that is too obvious to be recognized as such?

ロネムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

_Episode__ 3  
>"<em>_There's no time__"_

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Nothing was safe in this area anymore. Homura very well knows that, considering Kriemhild Gretchen's potential power as a witch was more than enough to destroy the world. She knows that, when Kriemhild finally awakens, it wouldn't take a few minutes before her barrier encompasses this city. She needs to act quickly, gathering the firepower for her plan.

"I'd 'like' to tell you everything right now," Homura turned around, looking at the entrance to the barrier. "But someone's in danger right now."

Mami nodded, running towards the barrier of Feuer Prinzessin. As Homura followed, the barrier again started to engulf its new intruders.

"So, I recall you need my help for something," Mami turned her her head around scouting for familiars who might try to stop them.

"Unfortunately, yes," Homura said.

"Unfortunately? Seems like forced to me," Mami, summoning a flintlock equipped with a silencer.

"Yes," Homura nodded. "And we have less than 10 days to do it."

Ten days, Kyubey had said. Ten days to save the world from ruins. Ten days to stop this witch from encompassing the world in its domain and taking control of everyone in the world. Ten days to save Madoka from the fate of being the being who destroyed the very same world he wanted to protect. Ten days where everything should happen according to plan, or else this world's doomed.

Homura, impatient of the pains they had to go through just sneaking in to the witch's barrier, started to run for the main door, whom she readily identified to be one at the center, given the design of the previous witch is the same with Ein Prinzessin. While a few archer familiars spotted the two, Mami simply silenced them with her flintlock, summoning a second bullet inside her already summed flintlock to compensate for her one bullet per flintlock limitation.

It was no time to stay in their places.

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Sayaka stood over one of the red platforms beside one of the archer familiars she just defeated, disgusted at her current situation. She knows now all too well what this witch can do. Sayaka, heavily sweating most especially due to the extreme heat brought on by the witch, started charging towards the witch again, this time with the intention of bringing it down in one blow. Feuer Prinzessin, however, simply retreated, laughing maniacally as she used the extreme heat in her domain to bend light, resulting in a mirage. But it wasn't a mere mirage... with the extreme heat in her domain creeping in to Sayaka, Sayaka started experiencing headaches.

"Gah, I cant stay in here for long," Sayaka felt the pain reverberating through her body. It seems as though the pain is so strong it has exceeded the pain block threshold.

_Mami__-sempai, where are you now?_ Sayaka muttered as she started running for the door, only to trip and fall due to not being able to focus anymore in the heat .

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Homura opened the central door, with Mami behind her.

"Hmph, a monster room." Homura commented. Hundreds of archer familiars, all guarding a central door similar to a microwave door.

"Doesn't seem like we'll be going through there without picking a fight, huh?" Mami held her hat as she readied her mass flintlock summon.

"No need," Homura declared, holding Mami's hand, activating her time shield. With that hidden power of hers activated, everything stopped as if it was all a recorded tape. Mami, partially stunned at this, looked at Homura. Is she a ... time traveler? If so, from when? Why was she here? Then came Madoka - the one whom Homura refused to associate as a magical girl with, in spite having unbelievable magical potential. Did Homura know Madoka from an alternate future? Mami almost let go of Homura's hand, when suddenly, Homura firmed her grip pn Mami.

"If you let go, you'll be forever trapped in this time." Homura's words struck Mami by surprise.

"... so you're a time traveler?" Mami asked as she followed Homura to the microwave door, firing at as many archers as she can, just before Homura's time stop expired, instigating powerful qaves of explosions and giving the two of them enough time to force open the door.

"Yes, or let's say...was," Homura answered at Mami, looking directly at her.

Then looking at her front, she saw Sayaka Miki, who had just fainted over the fight and that unbearable heat that affects even the senses of the typical mahou shoujo.

"Sayaka-chan!" Mami laid down, looking at Sayaka's condition, who was a the point of convulsion. Using magou shoujo magic, Mami began pumping out the excess heat from Sayaka. She also took the time to reach for 2 Grief Seeds, using both of them to steadily replenish their power.

「Sayaka's Soul Gem: 55.02% Darkened」

「Mami's Soul Gem: 60.5% Darkened」

"Get her to safety, I'll defeat this witch before you know it," Homura commanded Mami.

"Oii," Homura's head met Mami's patting hand. "Don't go deciding things on yourself again, really. Here I thought you need my help."

"I do, but not now," Homura said, reaching for her light-saber in her hyperspace arsenal. "Besides, backup's coming in 3..2...1-"

"Akemi-sa-" suddenly and without warning, an unusual figure appeared, right, in front, of, her. Equipped, with a book, pen, and some pictures, and a cellphone, all in a dark brown mahou shoujo long-coated suit similar to a mage, she stared directly at the witch, further enraging it, extending her hand towards the new intruder and creating some sort of flamethrower effect.

Instantly, the girl's figure, disappeared, appearing just in front of the witch, writing words in Latin.

_Ein Prinzessin,_ _FRAGOR iure._

Instantly, the witch titled to the left: an explosion suddenly appeared out of nowhere, making the unsuspecting witch roar in agony.

"Mai-chan," Mami declared her name.

"Yo," Mai's low pitched, yet feminine voice echoed throughout the bright surreal red room, only to disappear as Ein Prinzessin roared angrily in response.

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><strong>M<strong>**ai ****Akane**

_Weapon__:_ Pen  
><em>Speciality: <em> Mental Teleportation  
><em>Nationality: <em> Japanese  
><em>Description:<br>Being a 5"1' meganneko has its own glory, but can you say the same with Mai Akane?_ Mai Akane is mostly a silent book reader type, having dark hair with a little chubby face compared to Homura. Compared to moe Homura, she has thin, rounded glasses, and, consequently, in her mahou shoujo form, she represent, a more laid-back form: a book-obbessed, mage-like figure, bent on doing anything she wishes using pen and book and writing commands in Latin and Greek (or for extreme situations Hebrew, to the point of quoting Bible verses.)

Fellow mahou shoujos refer her as The Silencer, being one of the few veteran mahou shoujos before Mami. She has a knack for vague expressions only a few people would understand, or words that can fool anyone new to her style of communication. She is also one of the few mahou shoujo who has knowledge around its dark secrets, being the one who watched one of her comrades turn into a witch, without the slightest of emotions.

History serves she was recruited by Kyubey 3 years ago in a library while looking at famous places in the world, being a simple girl in a nearly silent family, she wished to be able go to anywhere she wants to, with whoever she wants to, resulting in her valuable mahou shoujo power: instant teleportation. Using her new power, she traveled around the world, bringing only a few things: pictures of her locations, some pocket money, and some luggage, all while defeating the witches in the area. This plan quickly backfired, as her constant running off to various places caused her parents' worry, of which, due to her very own childishness, caused one of her greatest regrets in life: when she left them for her desire to travel around the world. It wasn't long, however, when she realized her naive actions and resolved to return to her hometown, but it was too late. Her entire family was massacred by a witch, of whom Mai, traumatized by the event, nearly turned into a witch, that is if she didn't permanently shut off her emotions almost completely, resulting in her present state. Using her powers as a mahou shoujo, she was able to easily defeat this witch, but it was not enough to satisfy her emptiness. Spending a year watching over different mahou shoujos, she watched them all being consumed in their own power and turning into witches, something she disgusts, about, often desperate to gather Grief Seeds just so that she won't turn into one. She once had power to travel even inside non-fictional realms, but, for some unknown reason, refused to use it anymore. Either she found out the dear cost of using that power, or does not use it anymore for traumatizing reasons.

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Mai's cold, blank face made Mami shiver, "That girl, I can never underatand such a girl."

Mai started writing again, only to be nearly hit by the witch's 'hand'-y flamethrower, relying mostly on instinct to detect enemy attacks and teleporting with just enough distance to keep it distracted, something only a few veterans can do.

_Yawn__. Boring._ Mai muttered to herself.

"Hmph, stop playing, we cant afford losing anymore time," Homura, with her lightning speed reflexes, turned to the witch's back: a not-so-formidable weak spot for such a hot witch such as Feuer Prinzessin. Using the opportunity, she repeatedly slashed the witch, finally destroying it to the ground, leaving behind a catapulted second Grief Seed, catching the attention of Mai and instantly catching it by teleporting to it.

"Keep it," Homura's hair slid through the wind rather smoothly as she falls back towards the ground.

"_san kyu_," Mai's voice caught her attention a while, but seeing the situation, Homura turned her back, looking at the recently recovered Mami and Sayaka.

"So you saved us, huh?" Sayaka asked as if to confirm the summary of the events. "When about 15 days ago, you couldn't care less at our company. So what happened in that Walpurgis that changed you so?"

"You can say I've changed, and yet I haven't changed." Homura explained.

"You sound like Mai-chan over there," Sayaka commented, pointing to the girl beside her.

The surrounding area starts flickering back to the place it's supposed to be: beside a Mini Stop store full of skyscrapers. It was still around 1:30 pm, and yet the streets and the sky are set in a grey tone, gloomier than funeral service, as if mourning for somebody. There were no people in sight, unusually, as if the whole city has turned into a ghost town. Unusual of any city, only silence prevailed, only to be broken by mere flickers of a fluorescent light.

"So, Homura, I presume you have something to say," Mami looked at her with a serious face.

"Yes," Homura looked at Mitakihara City, or at the very least, tried to, only to be blocked in view by skyscrapers. "I need your help...to gather every mahou shoujo you can gather, if possible everyone in the world. There's no time; Kriemhild Gretchen's soon to be making her move in a few short moments."

"Ehhhh?" Sayaka exclaimed. "T-the world...? W-what for? And who's Kriemhild Gretchen?"

"I don't have much to explain." Homura glanced at Mai before continuing. "Actually, I DO have a lot of explaining to do, from Kyubey's true identity to why I came from an alternate future."

"Alternate future?" Sayaka widened her eyes, as if in disbelief. "Don't tell me Mami-"

"You said we don't have enough time, right?" Mami asked. "This Kriemhild Gretchen..."

"She's more than you think she is," Homura frowned.

"_Oiii_," Mai tapped her shoulder. "What about the witch that has the form of a mahou shoujo, you texted me earlier? That's why I came to help in the first place!"

"Yes, yes, but not now," Homura hurriedly confirmed. "Now, we should look for Kyouko."

"Kyouko? You know her?" Mami said, a bit surprised at Homura's words.

"Yes," Homura threw her shield upward, forming a large semi-transparent surf board, large enough to accompany everyone. "I'm grateful she didn't come in this timeline in this month though, or else, you'd be dead, Sayaka."

Sayaka couldn't help but stay dumbfounded in all these revelations. First, Homura's a time traveler, second, there's this witch called Kriemhild Gretchen that's so powerful Homura'll need the help of the world's entire army of mahou shoujo to defeat it, some girl named Kyouko, whom, in an alternate future, was the cause of her death, and now a witch in the form of a mahou shoujo? Why can't this life of being a lonely deserted mahou shoujo be a little bit simpler?

"AH! Why can't this life of being a mahou shoujo ever get any simpler!" Sayaka shouted it out.

"Well, it is what being a mahou shoujo is about," Mami sweat-dropped. "So, Homura, shall we go?"

With gang now all aboard the Homura Supersonic Surf Board Express,Homura finally telepathically started surfing away into the open highway. Destination: anywhere but Mitakihara City.

"H-Hey," Mami asked. "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere safe," Homura answered. "as long as it's away from Mitakihara City, we should find Kyouko before making a run for it to USA."

"W-wait," Sayaka asked. "We're leaving my mom and Madoka there? And what about... Kyousuke...and...Hitomi..."

An abrupt pain pierced Homura's chest.

"Mitakihara City is no more." Homura declared, the tone of her voice shivering. "In 24 hours, Japan will be no more."

"W-what do you mean 'no more'!" Sayaka's tears involuntarily burst out. "W-What happened to Madoka...? to Hitomi...? to Kyousuke?"

Homura felt silent, not wanting to tell the sensitive two the truth of the matter, but Mai's constant pulling of Homura's clothes convinced her to tell it anyway: the truth of everything - of Kyubey, and of mahou shoujos, and of who Kriemhild Gretchen really is. Can she handle that? With her heart ready for anything, Homura made her choice:

"Might as well tell you the truth," Homura said, pausing a few seconds before continuing. "Kriemhild Gretchen was born after Walpurgis was killed. Now the whole city's under her control."

Mami sympathetically held Sayaka's hand. Sayaka couldn't help but cry in front of Mami.

"I...I...I still love Kyousuke, Mami-sempai," Sayaka admitted, her voice wavering. "No matter how much you tell me to let her go, I STILL love him!"

"You, just, have..." Mami said, just like that last time. "To let him go. If you truely love him, you'd do it."

"...I understand," Mai said. Mai just couldn't help but sympathize with her, a girl who was betrayed by her own wish. Mai, being a girl of a few words, thought it was enough.

"They won't die," Homura explained. "There's still hope. _Even for Madoka._"

"C'mon, Sayaka, smile there," Mami requested. "I'm sure we'll be able to get them back. I'm sure of it."

"Mami-sempai, thanks," Sayaka hugged Mami, her regrets turned into hope, sniffing away her tears into oblivion. "You too, Akemi-san and Mai-chan. You're such nice persons after all."

"Now," Homura, spotting a nearby hill, redirected the direction of the surf board towards it.

"What are you doing, Akemi-san?", Mami asked.

"Just wait and see." Homura said, tearing through the forests to gain altitude and reach the top of the hill. It merely too a second.

There they all saw it: two cities, Mitakihara City, from the far horizon, and Furukawa City. Mitakihara City was covered in a black scribble-like barrier, which was quickly extending towards the near city of Furukawa City. A close look at the view shows hundreds, if not thousands of people, all walking towards the barrier in a trance, as if controlled by the witch.

"GASP! This is..." Mami's eyes widened, surprised to see a whole city endrenced in the barrier of a witch.

"And she's just getting started." Homura proclaimed.

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**K****riemhild Gretchen (First Form)**

_Nature: _Mercy  
><em>Description: <em>Kriemhild Gretchen's first form is rather a rude one, being a mountain-like creature with a face that looks like the sun with intensely demonic eyes and smile. She also has scribbly hands that extend towards the enemy mahou shoujo, completely crushing the mahou shoujo if she allows it. Her, body is, by itself, made of scribbles, so simply attacking the witch won't help.

This witch almost never destroys or kills people or mahou shoujo, but rather, she uses most of her power to control them much like a master puppeteer. In her first stage, this powerful witch has enough power to fully control any mahou shoujo with Soul Gems that are 90 - 95% darkened, using that despair within the mahou shoujo to control her, and, consequently, never accumulates any more grief, as any grief it would have accumulated goes directly to Kriemhild Gretchen, thereby giving her more power. True to her name, she really is Goddess Madoka in witch form.

She also has familiars of her own: scribble star-like creatures that emit black mist. Kriemhild Getchen uses this mist to control normal people without consuming much power from controlling hundreds of humans.

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"If we stay here any longer, the barrier will soon overtake us," Homura said. "Shall we go find Kyouko?"

"Sure," Mami held on to Homura's shoulder.

"As much as I don't like leaving our hometown in retreat, we don't really have much of a choice now do we?" Sayaka turned her back on the two cities, now unable to watch the city, she swore to protect, being consumed by such a gruesome force.

"Just, go." Mai said.

But just before Homura hit the pedal, a strange creature caught the gang's attention. It looked like a black cat, but then has a face similar to Kyubey. It had long ears similar to Kyubey's, but, as it seems, it seems to have protruded from its black ears. Her eyes were dark red, unlike Kyubey's, which was bright red.

"You..." Homura's face turned sour, as if disgusted by something.

_'Here I am making an entrance, and you aren't even saying hello?'_ the creature telepathically commented.

"Hmph," Homura responded with an ever cold tone. "I would have killed you right now, but, sadly, I don't have the time to do that right now."

"H-Hey..." Mami curiously looked at the being. "Is that...Kyubey?"

"No," Mai simply said.

"Hey, Mami," Sayaka commented. "I thought Kyubey was the only one of his kind?"

"I thought so too," Mami replied.

_'Don't be that harsh on me. You know I'm the only Incubator left in this world.'_ the figure frowned._ 'Your so-called Kyubey's gone anyway.'_

"Wait," Mami asked the creature. "Kyubey's gone?"

"Yes, unfortunately," Homura confirmed. "I could have sworn I'd kill them all."

_'That's not a nice thing to say, Akemi-san'_ the cat turned around Homura, further pissing her off.

"I'll never let your plans succeed," Homura declared. "Juubey."

_'Hmph,'_ the cat jumped away from Kyubey._ 'I'll be sure to get my hands on the Type-2 Mahou Shoujo before you, Akemi-san.'_

"Not before me," Homura quickly grabbed a shotgun, proceeding to kill Juubey, but it was too late. Juubey jumped towards the cliff, dissappearing from the gang. It's always unusual how Kyubey and Juubey can be pretty sneaky when it comes to entrance and exits.

_Kazumi._ Homura muttered to herself, just before she turned her back on Mitakihara City. Until then.

『To Be Continued...』

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Preview:

"IF everyone works together, we can always withstand anything that comes in our way, whether it's the time, or the situation. Whatever everyone says, there's always hope in the world: hope in the future. Homura, let's do it."

Next episode: "We can make it."


	5. EP 4: We can make it

**Author Notes:**

Lemme present you with the first Kazumi focused fic (chapter). With errm...never mind. Now that I've seen Oriko characters as well, I'll add her too: Oriko is too important to stay unnoticed.

So yeah, I have exceeded myself yet again, even if it delayed by a day. First, it's my first real yuri implied fic (Mami x Kazumi), second it's my longest chapter to date and fastest word per day in a chapter ever.

Whahahahaha! I shall exceed the epicness of this fic even more.

Plus, I have put in a large clue of things to come. Let's see anyone get the ultimate clue.

(Sorry, I'm being Zhuo Ling again XD)

I've ruined the tension, haven't I? T_T

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**Plot:**

Homura Akemi, the time traveler, has left a worldline in which Madoka becomes Kriemhild Gretchen, the greatest witch of all time, and Kyubey leaves Earth. With the help of nearly 1000 mahou shoujos, including Kyouko, Sayaka, Mami, Kazumi, and a different and more powerful Homura, can they defeat this witch and bring about hope again to an impending apocalypse?

Computer Edit: 05/23/11

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**Disclaimer:**

This message merely exists to (possibly) satisfy those copyrighters, so I say it anyway. I only own the idea to this fanfiction, the unofficial OCs, and ideas that are unsure or unconfirmed within Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Puella Magi Kazumi Magica.

By the way, it's best that you play Connect (TV version) when you reach the chapter title strip and Magia (TV version) when you reach the To Be Continued strip of the chapter.

"Homura-chan!"

"Homura-chan!"

A voice was calling out to her.

Is it Madoka?

No.

_It can't be,_ Homura thought to herself. _Madoka... she has... she has already turned into a monster...! Madoka had already turned into Kriemhild Gretchen, the most powerful witch in all of history, now controlling her own army of mahou shoujos, humans, and familiars alike, taking over the world by storm with her almost unstoppable force. Why did this have to happen, why Madoka? Why did you leave me behind to lead them all to fight for a singular world-threatening being? Why does this have to happen?_

Kazumi stood beside Homura, crying over such an impeccable sacrifice.

"Homura-chan!" Kazumi cried, trying to snap Homura out of it, but with no luck. Homura stood there, her eyes as empty as a bottomless pit, in a dream her weak side has trapped herself into. The witch which has surrounded the duo merely laughed at her demise, causing Kazumi's suffering to grow even more.

"Stop it..." Kazumi asked the witch, merely begging for the torture to stop. She couldn't handle it anymore: the constant evil glee of Kagami, and the fact that someone died in front of her, with the fresh scent of blood as proof. She could have wished for all of it to be over.

All of it.

"STOP IT!" Kazumi shouted with all her might at this endless despair.

_Riingg...!_

Almost instantly, Kazumi's bell earrings rung in a near monochrome tone, and Kazumi's eyes started glowing a bright shining ruby. Her mahou shoujo suit changed: her witch-looking cape changed from black to dark glittering silver; the two black bands, intersecting near her neck and partially covering her bust, dissolved into thin air, only to change into multiple silver bands, covering her chest; Her short skirt, decorated in white puffs, turned into a more frilly one, this time decorated with a combination of silver bells and miniature silver puffs; and her cross staff, the cross she'd been using ever since she became a mahou shoujo, now bore more resemblance to the Christian Cross, having golden semi-transparent Egyptian-like eye as its center, wrapped in silver lining.

A cross (bearing similarities to Kazumi's old cross) tore through one of the mirrors, attempting to hit Kazumi, but it was useless. An invisible barrier stopped the attack, sending a large shockwave around the area.

_Crash!_

In that very instant every mirror in the realm shattered into a hundred pieces, effectively killing the witch and sending the realm into oblivion, steadily warping back into its original reality. There were a few mahou shoujos who noticed the two, too surprised to see such a heavenly mahou shoujo.

Just as Kazumi and Homura finally got out of the witch's barrier, someone appeared out of the blue horizon, wearing her usual yellow mahou shoujo suit, running towards the two with an obviously worried face.

"!" Kazumi shouted over to the incoming mahou shoujo, sniffing away her tears and reverting to her normal mahou shoujo form. "She has...She has...!"

"I know," Mami glanced at Homura's condition. It was bad: it was a bullet that tore straight into her heart. While such a condition isn't fatal for girls like puella magi, it was still serious: especially in a case such as Homura. "Let's bring her to an apartment."

ロネムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

_Episode 4  
><em>_"__We can make it__"_

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"Homura-chan, save me..."

"Homura-chan, I don't want to turn into a witch!"

_Madoka! I swear...whatever it takes, I'll save you! No matter how many times, I'll repeat this hell! Surely I'll... I'll save you!_

These voices, past and present, have all clouding in Homura's mind ever since she swore that day to save her best friend, her only friend, from Kyubey's trickery. It was within Homura's heart, a heart full of regret and determination, a heart full of hope and helplessness, a heart of despair she thought she had gotten rid of 1 month ago.

It was likely the only thing keeping Homura alive right now: hope for the future. She knows all too well: while her time-stopping abilities remain, Homura doesn't have any more that exclusive power she used to have: turning back time; this time exchanged for heightened abilities unlike any other, and unparalleled 'need-to-know' basis information. Her innocent self could have wished to know everything in the world, and yet she wished for something like this. Why?

_Why, of all the people in the world, I am the one asking such a thing?_ Homura asked in her mass expanse of thought. _Have I lost my innocent self in the face of everything that's happened?_

Where is Self?

Where is her personality - the personality she knew - the personality Madoka knew? Yes, she remembered it all so well; she had to shut up her emotions for her own good. But is it for best? Or it is just to shield herself for any future events - to shield her own sensitive heart?

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"W-Will she be alright?" Kazumi asked, looking at the bed-ridden Homura. Mami brought in a plate to a near trash can. It was a bullet: the same bullet Homura would use to kill Kyubey around a month ago. The room itself was filled with the scent of alcohol, signifying a recent surgical operation.

"I... I don't know," Mami shuttered, looking at Homura's sleeping figure. "Normally, magical girls would feel 40% the pain she would feel."

"W-Wha... W-Why? How come...!" Kazumi shouted over who couldn't help but shed more tears.

"See that Soul Gem?" Mami pointed to the bed ridden girl's ring, which had been embedded with the words Homura Akemi in cryptic language. "She's unlike other magical girls, you included, I guess. Kyubey designed these Soul Gems to be the very container of our Soul, something even I couldn't imagine would really happen. But it was designed that way as a pain blocker. But hers..."

Mami touched Homura's wound. Homura groaned in pain, her face twitching in despair. Mami the proceeded to apply in her healing magic: slowly but surely she'll recover. But another thing was needed for the speedy recovery: willpower. Mami knows all too well that her treatment was useless unless she herself fight it.

"Her Soul..." Mami continued. "...it flows out from her Soul Gem into her body. So, every pain, every wound, she would receive from it in its fullest potential. If she falls from a 10-story building, she won't die, but she'll receive every last pain. She knew that."

"That's... that's... terrible!" Kazumi continued on crying. "Why... why did she have to protect me? She knew... she knew what I did. Do you know Mami what it felt like to be a witch? It felt terrible... just the memory of it, I wish...I would wish I wasn't born when I think of it, but...but... but..."

Kazumi fully broke down, crying her heart out for the girl who saved her and for her friends whom she dear very much. It was a cry of despair, a cry of confusion, a cry of regret...

"I feel... I feel so... so useless...!" Kazumi screamed.

Mami held her shoulders, instantly catching the attention of poor Kazumi. Mami, seeing the situation, hugged Kazumi, making Kazumi cry even more. She knows she doesn't deserve any of this.

"You know why she's doing this?" Mami asked.

"Huh?" Kazumi wiped away her tears, trying to listen to Mami, avoiding herself to be further driven in her tears.

"You know... knowing the truth about witches and mahou shoujos really put a strain on me. Honestly, I wanted every magical girl to die, to save them all from the fate of turning witch. I remember it like it was yesterday...well, actually it's around 3 days ago, but you wouldn't mind narrating it to you, would you?"

Kazumi stood beside Mami, looking at her rejuvenating eyes, further sniffing away her tears.

"You see..."

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"First, Homura left, then Mami left," Kyouko stood beside the gang, obviously annoyed at the situation, prompting her to reach for something in her pocket. That something turned out to be a pack of Mentos, Mint flavour, in which she gladly welcomed a piece in her ever hungry mouth. "Tiume [Time] auy [I] leave here."

_Bang!_

Kyouko's exposed head met Sayaka's fist.

"Hey," Kyouko groaned in response. "Don't ya compromise my friendliness I'm giving ya!"

"Sigh, I'm actually doing you a favor, you know?" Sayaka then turned around to Zhuo. "Hey, you know when will Mai return from Laos?"

"It's been a while, has it?" Zhuo replied in English, bowing her head, holding in her wild negative ideas. "We should look Mami and Homura. We don't want both of them getting killed by some witch, right?"

"Err, okay," Sayaka agreed, although a bit confused at the Zhuo's words. "We'll meet again at 7:30 pm, okay?"

Nods of agreement came from the remaining group, signalling the mahou shoujos around to go back to their usual posts. Only Zhuo, Sayaka, and Kyouko remained, who started their way into the main land, to the last path where Homura and Mami last ventured into. Zhuo had nothing to worry about anyway: she's pretty sure the other teams can handle the manufacturing process until at least until 8:00 pm, right?

"Kyouko," Sayaka took her attention by surprise. "How long have you and Mami known each other? Don't tell me... a mahou shoujo died because of you."

"Oh, shut up," Kyouko angrily turned around back on Sayaka, looking at their current location.

Kyouko magically summoned her binoculars, scouting the area for possible clues.

"Oii," Kyouko noticed something. "It seems a witch was here."

"You're right," Sayaka took out her Soul Gem, literally sensing for witch energy fragments.

"W-What's this...?" Kyouko's eyes displayed confusion, flavored with a mysterious tone. "It feels like a witch... and yet it doesn't seem to be one? Sayaka-chan, do you feel it too?"

"Witch-magical girl, perhaps?" Zhuo suggested, looking for possible traces but failed to do so, as the trace ended there, as if the witch formed and disappeared there and there.

"And ya believe that sort of thing?" Kyouko asked. "If it did, that would make us what? Murderers?"

Sayaka sighed, ignoring the two and their senseless talk. She reached out her Soul Gem on one of the witch remains, but it was no use.

"Hey!" Kyouko noticed something: a Grief Seed, and a freshly extracted one at that. "There's a Grief Seed here. Weird, its frequency is different from the one we're tracking."

_I guess everyone is too busy with their work that they didn't notice this._ Sayaka thought to herself, sighing in relief._ Events DO make people work together for the good of all._

Kyouko then noticed something: was that Mami's voice? She looked around the area, and a nearby apartment, decorated in white patterned wallpaper with a partially opened window drew her attention, which she quickly deduced as the source of the voice.

Again, a voice was heard, but this time it was different. It was a high-pitched voice, similar to an old acquaintance of her. "Hey, did you hear that?"

"Yeah, it sounds familiar," Sayaka nodded, walking towards the apartment in curiosity."I think it's that girl Homura talked about - Kazumi, was it?"

"Aha! Kazumi the witch magical girl!" Zhuo's glee was utterly evil, never to be trusted.

(And Zhuo is right, Kazumi is a witch looking magical girl.)

"Daaammmnn," the pissed off Kyouko's eyes burned hot red. "Should I kill ya right now? That face of yours is just annoying. Grrrrrr..."

"Let's go Kyouko..." Sayaka said, dragging along the hot-headed Kyouko into the abandoned apartment building, opening it to reveal a similar scent in the air, or so Sayaka thought.

"Is this...alcohol?" Sayaka asked. She proceeded to go to the second floor, taking the stairs in front of the visitors. What she saw on that room was unbelievable sight. Here lies Akemi Homura, lying down with a bullet-based wound right in her heart, resting in such a matter that you can say Rest in Peace. But that wasn't really the center of focus right now. It was the new girl: called by Homura as Kazumi, tightly hugging her one and only sempai, Mami Tomoe.

"EEEHHHH?" Sayaka bit her tongue and took a step back. Is this even the right time to be here?

_Creak!_

The sound of old wood startled everyone, including Kazumi, who expected no one to come by, and Mami, whose cheeks turned cherry red upon seeing an unexpected guest.

"I-It's not what you think it is..." Mami said, waving her hands back and forth.

"Then what is it...?" Sayaka closed her eyes, bowing towards the ground, a bit confused especially with such a chain of events. "Is...t-this...forbidden love?"

"Sayaka-chan, w-what are you saying? Me and Kazumi were just...!" Mami tried reasoning out to the unexpected observer, but it was no use.

"Mami-chan!" a cheerful Kazumi went in from behind, hugging Mami in such a way that Mami slipped, falling to the hard wooden ground with a force that would have rendered Mami unconscious, that's if she wasn't a mahou shoujo.

"Oh," Kazumi looked up as she saw herself sitting on top of Mami's waist - an ever so embarrassing situation for everyone, including Kazumi. Sayaka's presence however made it worse. "Y-You're Sayaka-chan, right?"

"Sayaka...chan...?"

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"So that's what happened with Homura, huh," Kyouko settled in with Mami and Kazumi. "But how were ya able to defeat that witch on your own?"

"I...don't know myself," Kazumi sadly admitted. "But looking back, I think now I know why Homura wanted my help. She want's me to help everyone, right?"

Kazumi had a point. What was it that manifested in her? Was it some kind of secret power? Was it merely an illusion brought on by her reality-changing earrings? It was all but yet unknown. Last time she remembered, she was in a suit-case, merely naked only to be found by some kind-hearted man in Asunaro City, but that was merely around a week ago!

"Actually," Mami admitted. "Homura-"

_Blink!_

A sudden blink came from everyone's Soul Gems (with the exception of Kazumi).

"A witch?" Kyouko was the first to ask.

"And it's a pretty strong one at that." Mami's worried face showed itself almost suddenly. "I don't think it should be neglected. This witch is comparatively insanely strong, almost like 10 witch's worth."

"EHHHH?" Kazumi expressed her surprise, but for a much different reason. "Why can't I detect the witch?"

Mami, Kyouko, Sayaka, and Kazumi quickly jumped over the window, all changing clothes into thier mahou shoujo suits.

"Wait," Zhuo exclaimed, looking out the window. "I get left behind?"

"Of course ya 'r," Kyouko smiled, eating another piece of her forgotten Mentos. "Well, Homura needs babysitting, right?"

"Gah!" Zhuo exclaimed. "Don't you blame it on me when Homura undergoes genetic mutation or mental breakdown!"

Mami ignored the complainer, looking at Sayaka, Kyouko, and Kazumi.

"We better warn the others," Mami suggested. "Kyouko, get the Pleiades Saints to the site. Sayaka, Kazumi, come with me."

"Pleiades Saints?" Kazumi asked as if a sudden burst of energy hit her. "You mean Umika-chan, and the others?"

Kazumi's eyes shimmered in excitement as she followed her two new best friends, jumping unto a nearby roof.

"Well that's great, isn't it?" Mami said, as she jumped over 2 houses per second.

"It's been a while since I experienced something this cool!" Kazumi displayed a cheerful glee, trying to imitate Mami, only to land 1 cm away from the very edge of the roof.

"Uhhh...ahhh..." Kazumi lost her balance that instant, only to be saved by Sayaka.

"Ehehehe...thanks."

Sayaka merely smiled in front of her, never saying a single word. Never before has she seen a girl so cheerful it actually becomes infectious. But it wasn't the time to think about it. It was the time to move. God only knows how strong that witch would be: it might even be stronger than Walpurgisnacht.

"There it is," Mami looked at the horizon: there it is, a large barrier encompassing nearly 1000 hectares. "A large-scale witch. It still pales in comparison to Kriemhild Gretchen though. We'll probably have quite a hard time defeating it without Homura's help. "

"Eh?" Kazumi looked at Mami, and then looked at Sayaka. "W-Why...?"

"In these 3 days, witches have been more powerful," Mami explained. "I don't know how it suddenly happened, but... "

"Every witch now has a Grief Seed," Sayaka interrupted. "Or at least that's what I noticed."

There was no time explaining more things any more than required. There it is, beyond the borders of its barrier, is a witch possibly more powerful than Walpurgisnacht. 

_What's a Walpurgisnacht, by the way? _Kazumi thought.

「Sayaka's Soul Gem: 0.02% Darkened」

「Mami's Soul Gem: 0.5% Darkened」

「Kazumi's Soul Gem: -Unknown-」

"Are you ready?" Mami asked Kazumi.

Kazumi nodded, putting her hands in her earrings. She readied her cross staff, which had her Soul Gem as its very center. Kazumi knows it: she'll be fine if she simply believed her friends. Plus, anyway, she can't wait to meet Umika-chan and Kaoru-chan and the rest.

_I wonder how long I've been __gone._ Kazumi asked herself.

It only took a second before the barrier swallowed Mami, Kazumi, and Sayaka; visions, distortions, and weird figures are seen, just before their line of sight corrected itself again: they were now inside the witch's lair.

The witch's domain seemed different than what was seen so far. Instead of a surrealistic view, the witch's domain took a little more anime-looking view, with a dark-themed 'sky' and floating skyscrapers. A few of its familiars, one having red hair with a red sailor uniform with a klutz-like face but with red eyes, and the other, being a small little girl with beige twin tails, with a staff with a crescent end with a red orb at the center. It also had red pupils, much to their notice. A third familiar came in, being, this time an emotionless meganeko with light-purple hair and dark-themed high school sailor uniform. Just like the other familiars though, it had a red pupils.

"Hey, Sayaka, check the vicinity for other puella magi," Mami commanded Sayaka, taking a low voice. "We don't know if we're alone anyway."

"Right." Sayaka ran off to one of the nearby doors, entering inside a floating skyscraper.

"Kazumi," Mami pointed out a door. "Let's go here."

Mami opened one of the nearby doors. It was quite a weird room, for one, as there were as much as a hundred computers on the scene. Computers at the top reveal several applications opened: one of them had a browser on with a website with hundreds of links in a three column arrangement, with a white background with a relatively small blue strip on top. Another computer showed a video website, with its small logo on the top left, with a video plug-in near the left-side center. An unusual code, cQFe9FWaTuc, was seen in the navigation bar. The third computer, just adjacent to the right, has weird markings, of which to normal humans would account as a weird language, much like in Egypt. Another unusual computer, near Kazumi's left, had another browser on, this time, displaying various texts in the English language. At first glance, it had grey background, again, full of English text, this time, with various names attached in its left side, with messages divided by a box. A red portion appeared on the last box; with it was unreadable as there was no time to look upon it that thoroughly.

"Look," Kazumi pointed to one of the computer screen. "D'aww, it looks sooo cutee!"

She pointed to a girl, who had squishy arrow-like light blue 'hair', coupled with a white hat and white skirt decorated in a blue strip at the bottom, in which the strip itself was decorated with aligned blue circles.

"Kazumi! No! Don't!" Mami pulled Kazumi's arm, putting her other hand in Kazumi's mouth just before Kazumi got to talk. "We don't know what might be inside that thing, you know. It might as well be a trap."

Kazumi frowned, but, knowing Mami, she would have guessed right. Kazumi had to remind herself again that this is a witch's maze, which would ultimately mean traps and signs.

Mami checked one of the doors again, found 10 meters in front of where the first door came from. This time, it displayed a large computer, this time with a plain coming out of it. Ignoring the weird scene before them, they moved on to the next door, found at her right. It was another one of those visualization rooms, this time it seems as though they're in space. A large meteorite shower appeared before them, seeming to land on a place on Earth (a blue-green object at their far right.) A horse-like figure with 12 plates protruding from its horn fence-like back was in front of the meteorite shower, as if trying to protect a city below it.

"Those are some weird rooms," Kazumi commented.

Mami took another room, this time bearing the words 'Spoiler' in a red bold text. Unlike other doors, which was brown in color and had an iron doorknob, this one had a silver doorknob. Revealing the room, there were lots of posters in it: posters of various sizes. Some posters displayed a pale-green twin tailed girl, crying as her own body flakes away into oblivion. Another post displays 5 girls, a band, in a music room setting, with a short haired klutz as a guitarist. Anyway, there it was, as it seems. It was the last room, she hoped. It was a black door. It had a logo on its back, showing a mouse-like figure.

"There it is..." Mami said. "I'm pretty sure the witch will be here. Are you ready Kazumi?"

Kazumi took a grip on her cross staff, "As ready as I'll ever be."

Kazumi opened the door, at looked at the surrounding area. It was huge, to say the least. It felt like a large coliseum, but this time, it had a strange feeling to it. Yes, it felt like it was in an ever-changing space. Hundred of computers surrounded the far vicinity separated from the colliseum with a large void. At that time, a mahou shoujo rushed in; her two legs have already been totally cut, and her Soul Gem was nearly fully tarnished. She had a green suit, with a crescent-shaped Soul Gem that was embedded in her forehead.

"Tomoe-sempai..." the mahou shoujo tried talking, only to be met with coughs, and blood spewing out of her mouth. "T-This...witch...it has trapped 20 of us...we don't know why...but we were talking to someone from our group, then suddenly this witch appeared out of nowhere."

Mami frowned.

It's another one.

"Don't worry," Mami smiled. "You did your best."

Mami took out a Grief Seed, and proceeded to cleanse her Soul Gem. It might take quite a while though.

"We'll get you to safety," Mami smiled. "Meanwhile, we and the Pleiades Saints will take care of it."

It was too soon after, an explosion was heard: it was the witch, who had discovered them.

"Oh no..." Mami uttered the words, just before Kazumi saw an incoming second beam, spinning her cross staff around to dodge the attack.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

**Pollon**

_Nature: _Habitual Obsession

_Description: _Pollon is a large 20-meter black robed creature holding an iPad 2 in its 'hands' (meaning a part of her robe), with a face is covered in a large masquerade, decorated in red-blue pointed mask, similar to Majora's mask used by Link. In reality if doesn't have hands nor a real physical body unlike other witch, but the mask and robe is merely the whole witch's existence. Rumors states that she was once a beautiful Goddess, who became too obsessed on the new thing they call 'anime,' and thus this obsession turned evil, to the point of collecting mahou shoujos into her Anime Figma collection, saying they're anime characters, and goes on to create devious versions of her favourite characters. It's presumed Pollon was born after the incident in Japan 3 days ago, which would have greatly contributed to her now uncontrollable obsession, as seeing Japan destroyed would be fatal for any otaku.

She often attacks its future collection by revealing her robe. There she creates a beautiful model of her own, more or less often an anime character, and consequently gains some abilities related to the anime character (both the witch and the familiar). Pollen, however, can only gain one special ability inherited from its model creations, losing her previous inherited special ability as she makes a new familiar. Again, it should be noted that Pollon never kills its victims, but adds them to her collection as a living statue. That is...until you take her head (mask) off.

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Kazumi jumped towards the creature, at first trying to attack the figure with her melee attacks. The witch, anticipating the move, seemed to disappear right before Kazumi hits, appearing right behind Kazumi, who suddenly had a bat, and was quickly uttering words.

"GAH!" Kazumi turned around, swaying her staff to hit the creature, but, yet again, the creature seemed to disappear, only to reappear to the right of Kazumi, much to her surprise. With her chanting complete, Pollon struck Kazumi with the bat, hitting the stomach and sending her on the edge of the coliseum.

"Kazumi!" Mami angrily approached the reckless girl as she got one of the surviving mahou shoujo to a nearby room. "Don't just stumble on your own like that! It's reckless suicide!"

"But...the witch...!" Kazumi replied, looking at the rampaging witch with pity. "She...needs saving..."

"What do...you..." Mami stopped right there, realizing what Kazumi meant. "Oh...But please wait for the others to come. We can't finish such a witch on our own."

"Right," Kazumi got her point, looking at the witch, which had no end in her rampaging across the coliseum.

Pollon angrily roared at the two, and this time, she wants more than a new collection. She then proceeded to open her robe, revealing an empty space. In merely a few seconds, a new humanoid familiar came out of the empty void. A girl with long pink hair, beige-colored sailor uniform, and blue-patched skirt entered out of the void, again possessed with red eyes.

"I'm really starting to hate this witch," Kazumi noted. "She uses too much red eyes."

Kazumi attacked the witch, albeit this time in a different manner. Instinctively, she focused her mind on the spell, searching for something that would give her power to attack in a long range.

_limiti interni__...!_

Chanting the spell, Kazumi started firing multiple shots of white matter to the witch, of which the witch merely dodged, this time, by summoning a butterfly-like arrow-shaped pointed object, much to both Mami and Kazumi's surprise.

"Eh?" Mami didn't had time to think about the witch's unusual behaviour, as Pollen's familiar came running to her, again summoning that butterfly-like object, of which the girl, after smiling in such a creepy manner, started charging towards the yellow-suited mahou shoujo, of which Mami, in surprise simply summoned a couple of flintlocks and started attacking, only to miss, as the girl charging at her simply separated her weapon into two big fancy daggers (or at least it seemed that way) and cut the 'magical bullets' in half in perfect cut. Mami tried escaping by extending a ribbon towards one of the posts in the coliseum, but Pollon intervened, throwing her weapon towards Mami, almost hitting Mami's escape route, if not for Kazumi hitting it with her cross staff.

"They should come any moment now..." Mami said, barely dodging an attack by the familiar through swing on to her Rope of Escape, only to get barely hit again by the familiar and her weapon.

"Hey, Mami," Kazumi said as she kept on dodging the witch's attacks. "Let's try attacking them together."

Mami nodded, extending another ribbon towards a further part of the stage, and attacking the witch by firing flintlocks, one after another as she summons, throws away, then fires another round at the witch. The witch responded with roars, only be shut up by Kazumi as she hits the witch's head with her cross staff, throwing it off and sliding over to the ground.

"EHHHHH!" Kazumi's surprised face was always priceless. "H-Her head came off?"

_RAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRR!_

Pollon's head started levitating, again much to Kazumi's surprise, and returned back into her cape, anger multiplied by 1000. With her signal, a wide opening came in from behind, and Mami and Kazumi almost shivered as Pollon called out her patrolling familiars, all those same familiars Mami saw earlier.

"This is going to be a long fight...!" Mami gulped. "Well, there's a super-strong witch, and now 4 familiars that are almost as strong as a regular witch. Don't tell me there's more?"

The witch revealed her robe again, and this time, two more familiars appeared from the void of the witch's robe. One familiar had a long, grey hair with a cold expression much like Homura, but with wings and a hand that turns into a sword-like weapon, and the other familiar being the same girl Kazumi saw earlier, with squid tentacle-like hair and squid-like hat.

"You just had to say it, Mami-chan," Kazumi sighed.

"Don't worry, Kazumi-chan," a voice came in from behind. "We're here now."

Kazumi turned her head around, ignoring the familiars who're about strike her and Mami.

"Sayaka-chan! Umika-chan! And Kaoru-chan!" she exclaimed, nearly crying. "I've missed you so much...sniff...and where are the others?"

"C'mon, Kazumi-chan, act now, questions later," Kaoru declared. "Let's finish this."

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

**The Pleiades Saints****  
>(Part 1)<strong>

(Due to some frilly reasons, _full_ history won't be mentioned in most of the description.)

**Kazumi (First Form)**

_Weapon:_ Cross

_Specialty:_Reality Manipulation

_Nationality: _Japanese

_Description: _Kazumi is a short-haired anmesiac with an alleged witch-detector ahoge. Well, in reality, it never does so, but it DOES however, detect pseudo-witches, witches created by using evil nuts (in short, imitation Grief Seeds), and emotions as well. Unusually, the only things she remembers is her name, and events that happened since around week ago, where she was found naked inside a briefcase. Given her amnesia, her wish is unknown; only Juubey, the contractor of the Pleiades Saints, knows what Kazumi wished for.

Her mahou shoujo form is that of an almost entirely revealing dress, having only a short skirt decorated in white puffs, a white shirt with a black ribbon that never covers her bust above, two ribbons, intersecting near her leg, which merely covers the nipples, and a piece of clothing that extends somewhere near her shoulders, also intersecting near her leg and decorated with white puffs.

Kazumi is rather hotheaded. Her mood is very unstable, and can swing between extremes in a couple of seconds. Still, she is cheerful most of the time, her reactions being very spontaneous. She is kind of a ditz, especially (but understandably so) in situations she is only now rediscovering; for example, forgetting her skirt while transforming. Nonetheless, she is more than capable of rising up to the situation when it is required.

Her special weapon is her long staff cross, bearing similarities to the cross used in the Rosary. It actually double-functions as a melee weapon and long-ranged attack, her strongest attack being _Limiti Esterni_, an accurate beam attack with such a powerful and large range, capable of destroying most witches in merely a single blow. Her earrings often react to her mind-focusing abilities, subconsciously activating her special ability: reality manipulation.

**Umika Misaki**

_Weapon:_ Magic Book

_Specialty:_Mind Reading

_Nationality: _Japanese

_Description: _Kaoru is a meganneko (wearing wide glasses) with navel blue eyes and long navel blue hair and is the brains of Kazumi's trio, and, sometimes, the Pleiades Saints. Although a rather cheery person and far from cold, she keeps her cool most of the time, carefully analyzing situations. She wished for an editor who would recognize her works. When asked why she didn't simply wish to be a best-selling author, she states she did not want talent, but fame.

Her mahou shoujo form is similar to an Anglican nun, except her clothes are unusually short compared to one, to the point of it being called a one-piece. She also wears purple stockings as part of her mahou shoujo form.

As a writer, she often has episodes of writer's block. When this happens, her personality changes dramatically: she becomes extremely frustrated and grows visible horns, going on a cooking frenzy. When this does not work, she goes on a shopping spree with her friends, and given her wealth, money is not an issue. Still, she can be quite stingy: it is said she will go anywhere to save one Yen in groceries.

Having made a wish related to writing, her weapon is a magical book, and its main function is to read the opponent's mind, their thoughts being written on it. She can then use that information to identify the enemy's weakness, and come up with a plan. She can also summon objects from the book, most often a ball for Kaoru's attacks. For close range attacks, she can transform the book into a double-edged pole, with the covers acting as blades. As a nice addition, she can also summon a protective barrier around her, but she can only maintain it for a limited period of time.

**Kaoru**

_Weapon:_ Ball / Football Boots

_Specialty:__ Powerful _Football Skills

_Nationality: _Japanese

_Description: _Kaoru is a tomboyish girl with short bright yellow hair and yellow eyes with bangs forming quite nicely in her forehead (it looks like ocean waves) and is the brawns of Kazumi's trio. She's one of those strong-willed types. Even though she wants to become a great football player she merely wished for a strong body so she could always play, as she wants to do it with her own ability.

Her mahou shoujo form is yet another revealing one by Juubey (makes you wonder if Juubey is a pervert). She wears a long head cape and quite a loose shoulder guard put together with a ribbon, but elsewhere it's quite a tight dress, and a very tight one at that, almost like a swimming suit.

Kaoru applies her football skills in battle, mainly attacking by striking her foe with mighty kicks. While teaming with Kazumi and Umika, her job is to stun the opponent with her kicks to provide the others with an opening. Her most powerful attack is _Palla di Cannone_, an extremely powerful football kick, driving a ball onto the target with amazing strength.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

The purple-haired familiar a.k.a. Yuki F was the first to strike, chanting several unknown and surprisingly fast monologues to Kazumi, all while she continued on trying to stab Kazumi with a dagger. Kazumi, in response, continued on dodging as well, only to barely dodge a secret attack done by the pink-haired familiar a.k.a Rimi F.

The third familiar to attack was Ika F (the squid-looking girl), extending her blue hair towards Mami, only to be shot by several Dutch-sequential shots, and wonderful flintlock melee attacks. But suddenly, a second familiar a.k.a. Tsukasa R F made quite an astonishing move by hugging Mami, only to be quickly shot with a backhand hit and shoot.

The fifth familiar a.k.a Angel F, charged for Sayaka, spreading wide wings which she quickly used to engage the sword-bearer Sayaka, who quickly summoned a second sword, effectively defending himself against Angel F. This plan quickly backfired however, when Angel F used her Cloning Program to duplicate more evil versions of themselves, simultaneously attacking Sayaka with enough power for a large shockwave. This attack inevitably sent Sayaka several meters away, only to be nearly hit by Pollon's light-blue tentacles (yes, she has one now), if not with the help of Umika, who went by slashing away the tentacles with the help of her book-turned double-edged pole.

Kazumi knew it was no time to deal with this any further, and that Pollon was her best option of winning, so taking the opportunity, she tried hitting Yuki F through her stomach, but it didn't however do any good, with Yuki F taking no damage at all, as if her whole body's been reorganized into a brick-hard being. Smiling like a creepy yandere, Yuki F directly punched Kazumi and attempted to stab her, only to be met by Kaoru's powerful drop kick, but is quickly sent off by Rimi F with a triple left-right dagger-like combo, sending both Kaoru and Kazumi around a meter away from Rimi F in opposite directions.

Mami had no time to waste in these familiars, and she knew herself that Pollon was her target. So spawning around a hundred flintlocks, she redirected everyone of them at every familiar in the area. While Kazumi's unsubconcious reality manipulation helped a lot in making the rifles a lot stronger than it would have, it did every much nothing to the familiars, except for them all to target Mami, who sent a go signal at Sayaka: it was a signal for backup. Sayaka followed Mami into a nearby crevice, followed by Yuki F, Rimi F, and Ika F.

"Let's go, while we still have a chance!" Kazumi exclaimed. "Let's do this, like the old times!"

"It was just a few days ago, Kazumi," Kaoru commented.

Her two very best friends nodded, making a go signal to weaken the witch. With Angel F still around, it'll still be hard, but then again, it's better to try and partially fail, than not try and fail altogether. With enough time, Umika changed her pole back into her magical book, opening it forwards to the witch.

_Ex Fille...!_

At that instant, Pollon's thoughts have been converted into written statements, ready for Umika for reading, but sure enough, it wasn't over just yet. It took her merely a second before she got herself surrounded by Angel F's clones.

_Limiti Interni...!_

Kazumi fired 20 simultaneous shots of white matter, effectively killing 90% of Angel F's clones, who were screamingly frantically as they scream for help as their bodies disintegrate inside-out.

"You...!" Kazumi's focus came on Pollon, who roared in response as she stares upon the being that threatened to ruin her collection. "Let's end this, witch!"

"Yes," Umika looked at her book, only to look back upon the witch with colorless eyes.

"Umika-chan,what's wrong," Kazumi, worriedly asked as she contiues on firing at the clones.

At that point, Umika nearly lost her mind.

"What the heck is wrong with this witch?" Umika frantically flipped the pages of her book. "It's almost only about anime?"

"Wow, she's that obsessed?" Koaru couldn't help but giggle, as she attempted to kick Angel F, only to be blocked by her habd weapon.

"Ah! Whatever...!" Umika flipped her book, as if to display it's contents. Instantly, a white glowing ball appeared from above the pages, bouncing towards Kaoru in the speed of an incoming train.

"Nice pass!" Umika said, jumping over the ball.

_Palla di Cannone!_

Koaru back-flipped just before hitting the ball downards to the witch, gaining an amazing speed, as if the ball had the power of a bomb, hitting the witch's mask, cracking it.

"Now, Kazumi!" Umika shouted.

_Limiti..._

Kazumi focused her energy into a highly concentrated point in her staff, which he quickly pointed towards the witch's head. Angel F attempted to stop the incoming attack, but was interrupted by Umika, who turned her book into a pole and blocked the attack of Angel F.

_...__Esterni!_

And with a bang, a large pure white beam, with a radius almost twice as long as the width of her staff, shot its way into the witch's mask. Pollon, at that instant, responded in pure agony as the explosion send a large EMP through the rooms, destroying nearly every computer on site. Seeing the computers destroyed, Angel F, screamed in agony. The three watch as her body dissolves into dust, only to be carried away by the wind .

"Whew," Kazumi wiped off her sweat with her right arm. "I'm glad it's over, right, Umika-chan?"

The two, however, stared at the explosion Kazumi caused, checking if the witch has been destroyed.

"N-No...way..." Umika stepped back from her stance, as did Kaoru. "She...she's...still alive...?"

Pollon rose from the explosion, as if it did nothing to hurt her. Her robe was still intact, although it burned in a red color. The mask, as burnt as it is, was still in place, in nearly perfect condition, with the excption of the crack caused by Kazumi.

Kazumi could only stay stunned as the witch's mask empty 'eye' turned laser red, and an opening came in from behind. It was Mami and Sayaka nearly rumning for thier breaths as a single being returned, holding thier hands captive. It was Rima F, who returned with her clothes almost torn apart completely. Judging from the scene, it seems as though Sayaka and Mami have managed to kill the other familiars, but was managed to be captured by Rima F.

"Sayaka-chan! Mami-chan!" Kazumi tried running towards the the two being held captive, but an impenetrable barrier stopped Kazumi in her tracks, electrocuting Kazumi as she touched the barrier.

Pollon took the opportunity to catch Umika and Kaoru by guard, extending squid tentacles to them. As if unavoidable, Pollon managed to capture Umika and Kaoru into her grip, strangling them in tje mpst sadistic way possible.

"Umika-chan! Koaru-chan!" Kazumi screamed for them, but it wad no good. Umika, Kaoru, Sayaka, and Mami have all been lost in thier delusions, thier eyes display nothing but a bottomless pit, a sight that further stuns the already traumatized Kazumi.

With such a victory coming from Pollon, she displayed her collection, with 20 capsules, all covered in a green fluid.

"Those...are..."

Kazumi glanced at the capsules. Inside are mahou shoujos, all of different appearnces, all with Soul Gems nearly 90% tarnished. There Pollon prepares her new collection, revealing a large computer out of nowhere, preparing to corrupt thier Soul Gems.

_Ring...!_

"Why...why..." Kazumi started talking, in spite of extreme trauma. "why would you do this...? You...just wanted a simple life, right?"

Pollon closed her ears, if she had one.

"You said you wanted to bring hope back to the world!" Kazumi exclaimed. "What happened to your hope! No need for despair...anymore...!"

That instant, Kazumi blinked, this time her eyes started glowing bright red. Her Soul Gem...it was fully dark, and that instant, a voice reached Kazumi's ears. Hearing that small voice, she recongized it immediately...yes...she knew it.

_Hope turns into despair, and despair into hope._

_Puella Magi Magica...superare!_

Kazumi's eyes instantly turned ruby again; her entire suit changed. It was like that time...that feeling of despair...never-ending despair...she felt it again.

"AHHHHHH!" Kazumi writhed in pain as she gathers her power, merely her willpower was enough to keep her standing.

Pollon, angeed by the scene, extended her tentacles to Kazumi. This, however fails, as an invisible barrier bounced those tentacles back at her.

Kazumi released a large energy flux throughout the room, anf as if gravitated, everyone's dark energy started transferring towards Kazumi, making Kazumi scream in pain.

_No, I must end__ure...more than this...! I know it...We can make it!_

Sayaka, Mami, Umika, and Kaoru snapped out if thier trances, noticing the scene around them.

"W-What...happened?" Umika was the first to talk. "Kazumi...?"

Umika's fears are realized: she saw Kazumi, screaming in pain, her Soul Gem. Kaoru, Sayaka, and Mami saw it all, trying to break free. Sayaka attemptef to summon a sword, but Rimi anticipated hte move, using her weapon to cut Sayaka's hand by half.

"Sayaka-chan!" Mami exclaimed, summoning a flintlock, only to gt taken by Pollon's tentacles.

Don't worry, Mami-chan, Sayaka-chan, everyone...I'll save you...

Kazumi's eyes turned ruby, and her Soul Gem, overcome by a large influx of dark power, began absorbing into the very essence of her Soul. In that instant, dark cloak shadowed her body, and Kazumi's hair instantly grew in length. As the dark cloak dissipated, an new form of Kazumi appeared before the gang. Her clothes had greatly improved, and her ruby-colored, gliterring eyes glanced at Rimi F, then at Pollon. Her Soul Gem is nowhere to be found, and her staff now bore more resemblance to the Christian Cross, having golden semi-transparent Egyptian-like eye as its center, wrapped in silver lining. A semi-transparent white wing protruded from her back, just small enough to cover her chest if desired, but heavenly enough to be called wings.

"This...is..." Mami spectacularly watched the entire scene. "A...Type...2..."

Meanwhile, not so far from the colliseum, a being watched everything from the shadows, but, unlike his counterpart, he displayed an evil smile, looking at the girl Kazumi with utmost interest.

"Just as planned," It was Juubey, scurrying his way back into the darkness.

『To Be Continued...』

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Preview:

"Nothing comes out of lies. A white lie is a lie. Deception is deception, no matter what form."

Next episode: "The Truth always hurt."


	6. EP 5: The Truth always hurt

**Author Notes:**

Yeah, yeah, I'm late. I really need to stop playing Beats for the Android sometime. sigh.

To the people who notice those little faults in each chapter...Just. keep. on. Believing!

I'll appreciate any kind of review and comment by the way. ^_^

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**Plot:**

Homura Akemi, the time traveler, has left a worldline in which Madoka becomes Kriemhild Gretchen, the greatest witch of all time, and Kyubey leaves Earth. With the help of nearly 1000 mahou shoujos, including Kyouko, Sayaka, Mami, Kazumi, and a different and more powerful Homura, can they defeat this witch and bring about hope again to an impending apocalypse?

Android Phone Edit: 06/01/11

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**Disclaimer:**

This message merely exists to (possibly) satisfy those copyrighters, so I say it anyway. I only own the idea to this fanfiction, the unofficial OCs, and ideas that are unsure or unconfirmed within Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Puella Magi Kazumi Magica.

By the way, it's best that you play Connect (TV version) when you reach the chapter title strip and Magia (TV version) when you reach the To Be Continued strip of the chapter.

In the middle of the highway, a certain magical girl had a few explanations needed for the confused Mami and Sayaka. Various discoveries about Homura herself, Kyubey, and Juubey had already had their fair share of tension to the group, who had barely escaped the indefinetely extending barrier borders, and fortunately Homura herself managed to keep a distance of 20 minutes worth to keep them company, mostly utilizing supersonic speeds to keep a far distance from Kriemhild Gretchen and to have more time just in case a few more unexpected things would happen: for example maybe a witch appearing in front of the highway, or maybe Kyouko doing more foolish things as she set up a rendezvous with her on Takunashi City, merely 4 km before their final destination in Asunaro City. What is to gain for Homura, in spite of everything that happened so far? Fame? Fortune? A piece of evidence proving the existence of Lemuria? No, but rather, it was only one: Madoka's promise.

"I didn't knew Kyouko could travel this far," Mami looked around, noticing a mountain far beyond the horizon. "And where are we really going?"

Homura's hair extended her reach towards the infinite space that is behind her, well almost. A few cars came in from behind in an unintentional atrempt to crash with Homura. But Homura merely dodged them, most often projecting her path 5 km in ad ance just to avoid crashing within a 0.01 m margin of error.

"Explain," Mai's eyes look more stern than normal, whether it was due to the extrme speed they had to deal with or the revelations she just unraveled, no one really knows. "What's a Type 2? And who's that creature you call Juubey?"

Mai herself had been stressed out of all that happened recently. All these revelations, and the very nature of their situation...she knew it was affecting part of the reasoning she had set for herself. It's not like a sort of entity is controlling everyone from the shadows...no...that'll be impossible, won't it? Or is it?

"Fine," Homura said as she turned right at a corner. "I'll tell you everything about mahou shoujos. You already knew it right?"

Mami nearly vomitted in that last turn, barely keeping up with her own composure.

"Isn't this a little bit too fast, Homura?" Mami asked, in an attempt to ar least decrease her tendency to vomit by 10%. "Just how fast is the witch's barrier extending?"

Homura looked at Mami, "around 300 meters per second and increasing."

A truck, merely 10 meters away from the gang, attempted a colossal impact, not knowing what's directly ahead of him. Homura jumped at that instant. Backflipping backwards, she took out her light-saber, slicing away the truck out of the way, much like how Moses divided the Red Sea during the Israelites' exodus. It was great timing anyway: the driver was a convict, merely escaping by stealing a truck, counter-flowing with the highway. Just as the gang tore through the truck, she reached for something inside it: a bottle of Morning Rescue.

Sayaka just couldn't believe they were still alive 1 second after that.

"After this, you life will like be that time when we encountered that truck." Homura said as she started drinking the bottle she took from the truck. "But instead of thanking that you're alive, you're gonna wish you never contracted. If you despair or lose hope, you shall die. If you can't accept that, I cannot tell you anything."

A couple of police car passed the gang as they quickly turned left, of which Homura avoided any contact by drifting, with the board horizontally inclined 45° against a ramp wall.

In spite of such extreme speeds, the two didn't felt like vomitting anymore, as this time they have now been engrossed in thought. Mai simply watched the two make thier choice. Will they want to know the cruel truth?

"Tell me, Akemi-san," Mami asked. "What happened when I learned the truth?"

Homura quickly answered, "You killed Kyouko, and nearly killed me and Madoka, who were mahou shoujos at the time. Madoka had to kill you to save my life."

Mami...for the first time...gulped.

"Is there still hope...for us then?" Sayaka asked.

A nearly steep right turn 10 meters away attempted to ruin thier conversation, of which Homura drifted in response.

"Can you cling to it when I say it's a one in a million chance?" Homura asked yet again.

"Hope," Mai muttered. "You mean...there's hope? I once gave up on that long ago."

Silence overwhelmed everyone.

"Tell me, then why are you alive?" Homura cried from that point on. "I said to myself that I'd never rely on anyone again...but here I am, seeking help from you...all because I believe in hope. Mami, can you tell me what it felt like to watch you die so many times? To watch Madoka die so many times?"

She knows it: her memory of Mami, her recent memory of Sayaka, and her irreplaceable memory of Madoka, all that hardships, all that efforts to retract Madoka from her nearly inevitable fate. Can they handle it all? And if so, what can she do now, but to tell them of thier fates, thier almost unavoidable fates?

"I'll...hear it." Mami resolved to herself.

"I...I..." Sayaka studdered.

"Even if it's just a small hope," Mami further explained. "I'll cling to it. If I lose hope in myself, then I'll just get it from you."

"...if Mami says so, I'll do it." Sayaka said.

"That kind of resolve is disgusting." Mai bluntly said.

"Fine, fine," Sayaka admitted. "I lack resolve! Maybe it's the reason I failed to confess my love to Kyousuke in the first place."

Homura sniffed out her tears.

"Fine," Homura said. "But Sayaka, if you ever lose hope, I'll personally end your life."

Homura's bottle of Morning Rescue dissappeared that instant, as she threw it in the open air, never to be seen again.

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_Episode 5  
><em>_"__The Truth always hurt.__"_

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"The Soul Gem..." Homura started narrating, only to turn right in a corner. "...is what it means. It's a container of the Soul..."

Homura kept on moving, instinctively dodging every car in the way. It felt that way to tell them here anyway, with adrenalin from thier 'coaster' ride cushioning thier emotional effect.

"Our bodies are merely but hardware that Kyubey, the Incubator, formed when she ripped out our soul. When my time-traveller counterpart left this body, I was merely a lost soul from myself; I am this world's Homura, whom Kyubey recruited yet again. My wish: to know anything I'd need to know: my memories, or how to defeat any witch. That's how I knew Mai Akane, even though I never met her before until now, because logic dictated I'd need a plan to defeat Kriemhild Gretchen, which I couldn't do alone."

No words can describe everyone's feelings right now. Is it of despair? Is it of misunderstanding?

"In the last timeline, that kiled Sayaka...or should I say..."

At that point, Mai intervened, "Sayaka, you turned into a witch..."

Sayaka and Mami couldn't believe it. But...all that Homura said...it was the truth. There was no other way to explain everything they exprienced just now, because, like it or not, those words made almost perfect sense.

"All puella magi," Homura continued. "when their Soul Gems completely darken, they will turn into Grief Seeds. That's the inevitable fate of any normal mahou shoujo."

"You mean..." Mami feared for the worst.

"Kriemhild Gretchen...is Madoka." Homura said.

Homura stopped talking at the time, letting silence take over the conversation. Mai could only simply watch the two, looking at thier faces, and at thier reactions...

"Funny how you say it so calmly..." Mami said. "...Akemi-san...when I think of it more... this makes us no better than witches themselves."

"Mami-sempai..." Sayaka sympathically held her hand.

Homura turned right afterwards as she continued her explanation, "The very reason Kyubey recruited us is to make us his fuel for fighting Entropy... Hmph, for that being, we're merely cattle..."

Mai stayed emotionless during all that time. It never occured to her anymore to feel despair. She knew she cannot because she would not, but she also knows she cannot let others experience that sense of hopelessness she felt back then...

"The Truth," Mai said. "always hurts..."

A truck past the sonic-speeding team, honking in an ever annoying tone as it passes by.

"...Kyubey...after contracting with Madoka, and, consequently, turning into a witch, already had a full quota at the time, but still, he recruited me at the time for a purpose..."

"Juubey?" Mai asked.

"Yes..." Homura said. "But not exactly... Kyubey... recruited me... because... I'm a potential Type 2."

"A Type...2..." Mai muttered.

Homura caught the attention of a pedestrian, 30 meters away from the road. Homura tilted her board slightly backward, spinning her board to create a lift effect, just enough to go through the pedestrian above her head, and with such a speed, it will most likely look to the pedesrrian that a strong wind came from above.

"A Type-2 Mahou Shoujo..." Homura muttered to the gang. "are Special Cases of mahou shoujos. They are those who wish for special wishes in that the normal system of mahou shoujos is completely compromised. These mahou shoujos have the potential to be more than witches themselves. You can say Type 2 mahou shoujos are more than witches."

A steep turn to the right 400 meters ahead caught Homura's attention. There, in the not-so-far horizon, is one of thier destination: Takunashi City. Going straight without hesitation, the team jumped from a cliff, 100 meters in length. That instant, she looked at Mai.

"For Kyubey and Juubey, a Type 2 can create infinite energy, being able to convert both a mahou shoujo's hope and a witch's grief into energy. That's why Kyubey needs me... to solve Entropy for good by giving me and another Type 2 an immortal state. If that ever happens..."

Homura took a picture of a nearby ground, slanting down from high ground at angle around 45°. Homura sent a signal to Mai, teleporting the team to the ramp.

"If that happens," Homura said. "There'll be no need of us Puellae Magi and they'll leave for good. However..."

Homura continued on the road, using the 45° ramp as a slide, now merely 15 kilometers from Takunashi City.

"There always two ways to end the universe the way it is right now...let Kyubey have his way, or let me get controlled by Kriemhild Gretchen. If Kyubey will take the only 2...no 3 Type 2's we have, including me, there's no stopping Gretchen from destroying the universe... and if Gretchen would manage to control me..."

"Controlled..?" Mami asked.

This time, 50 meters away, are two cars, one going in one direction and one going another. Using Homura's time stopping ability, she stopped almost instantly, reconverting her board back to a circular shield, and inertia kicking in, she held on to both Mami and Sayaka's hand, passing through the two cars like a human catapult. Homura unfroze time that very instant, throwing back her shield foward, only to return as an energy board again.

They couldn't say anything anymore at that point, as it would be conaidered a miracle that they just passed at that point.

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Kyouko held a piece of Pocky as she looked at her surroundings. Since when has she stayed in this place, merely attending to various underground meetngs, looking for a good prospect of witches?

"Hmph," Kyouko displayed her disgust at the place called Takunashi City. A couple of sky high skyscrapers met Kyouko's richochetting glances in an ever-teasing matter, as if the buildings served to mock the meek. Various businessmen passed her with an ever selfish malice, expected of anyone who had selfishly made money a god to themselves and displayed racial diacrimination over what they call 'lower beings'. While so many businessmen crowded the streets of Takunashi City, a few mahou shoujos would often times look at each other merely in eye, exchanging merely vague eye gestures that only they themselves can decode. Beside every street is a holographic screen, displaying various local, national, and international stocks, of which various people in Takunashi City would often brawl it out, to the point of hiring spies and assasins just to ensure thier win and generate wnough profit for merely nothing but to repeat the process. And then there's the even wider market of information techonology, famous for its gathering of crackers, ethical hackers, and intel gatherers alike, of which, unusually, 60% are actually puellae magi in disguise. In the dark alleys of Takunashi City are thugs: of various shapes, forms, and sizes – may it be kids, adults, women, or elderly, each utilizing their own trickery to survive with such a devastating state. People might say Takunashi City is a city made of glass and a city of businessmen, but to most people actually living inside of it, is a city of desperation.

Kyouko looked at the surrounding areas as she passed by the ever busy streets. There were a few thieves in the area, more so the street alone, as she could easily see with her contacts (which are actually magical in nature – much like the binoculars she used back then, but this time having x-ray vision installed), wearing knives in all the hidden places these creative thugs could come up with, often approaching some random businessman and attempting to rob him of his money. What most of these thugs (especially the newcomers) do not realize, however, that even businessmen have their own conniving tricks: often using stun guns, many of whom have actually been hidden in their long sleeves. Most often, however, puellae magi are the most 'affected' by their senseless scam.

"Hey...you..." a man was speaking to her behind her back, with a knife near her leg. He was quite a shady figure, with a cap with the words 'EMi&M' barely noticeable at the front, wearing a partially thick beige sweater. "Hand over your money...unless you wanna get hurt."

Kyouko sighed.

"C'mon..." the man hissed at the disappointed mahou shoujo. "Do it!"

"Here," Kyouko simply said. "If you plan to rob me, do it in that dark alley over there."

The man loosened her hands for a bit, giving Kyouko the perfect opportunity for a comeback. In that very instant, before the man could even attempt to slice his knife into Kyouko's head, Kyouko took a powerful grip on her hand and threw her upwards like a wrestler. The man, now unconscious, had a beating of his life.

"I hate this city." Were Kyouko's last words, just before disappearing into the crowd's shadows.

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Far beyond Mitakihara City to the north west, separated by a long series of mountain ranges is Takunashi City, also one of the famous places for information distribution and the one of the very centers of the mahou shoujo intel community in Japan. There, near the thick, grey monochrome borders of the city that separate the city central to the forest, is Homura, Mami, Sayaka, and Mai, who had very recently came to Takunashi City for quite a number of purposes.

"We're here only for a few purposes in mind: to spread word of the evacuation of all puellae magi in Japan and neighbouring countries, and to get Kyouko." Homura said. "We can never afford to waste even a second in this city, as we still need to get to Asunaro City."

"Underground mahou shoujo gatherings..." Mai said the word.

"Every minute, hundreds of terabytes pass by in Takunashi City, with Tokyo being the merely second in information technology. Only 30% actually come from Kyubey, while most other sources come and go through the internet or specialty mahou shoujos." Homura said.

Homura held Mami, Sayaka, and Mai's hands and activated her time-stopping ability, passing though the guard gates with ease. The guard post itself is made of several spy cameras and laser-guided detection areas. Of course, you can always pass them all with a few shots of teleportation or time-freezing magic, of which most mahou shoujos have already adapted to.

"Hey, Akemi-san." Sayaka asked. "What do we need Kyouko for...?"

Homura took a deep breath down. Beyond those walls of iron are small business houses coupled with a few obsolete residential houses, more often made of now-obsolete tiled roofs with pointed centers and sides and oriental sliding doors.

"She's probably the only other veteran other than Mami who can handle large groups of mahou shoujos that I can trust." Homura explained.

"Probably?" Mami asked. "Here I was made to believe that you, Homura, know everything."

_If only that was the case,_ Homura muttered.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー  
><strong>Homura Akemi<br>(Timeline #4 Counterpart – 1st Form)**

_Weapon:_ Light-saber and shield

_Specialty:_Limitless 'need-to-know' Knowledge and Time Freeze

_Nationality: _Japanese

_Description: _Being a soul brought back into the world no thanks to her time-travelling counterpart, Homura (or let's say...before she became a mahou shoujo) was merely an innocent meganneko with red rectangular glasses and a long goldilocks-like twin tails that extend far until her waist. This timeline's soul was essentially trapped deep inside her own body no thanks time-traveller Homura's Soul Gem, essentially for the reason being Soul Gems and souls from inside one's body are quite different and cannot overlap each other. (Example: putting a Soul Gem in another girl's body would theoretically cause the girl' soul to be trapped inside it if a Soul Gem of another girl, but this never been done before, as only a few girls know of the nature of the Soul Gem, nor does anyone bother to experiment with such a thing called a soul except Kyubey)

Following Homura's time travel, Homura's real soul was released into the world, unaware of the 1 month that happened to her, including the very change in her body. It was the perfect timing for Kyubey to recruit Homura again, and releasing a trapped soul into a Soul Gem was so unusual it would count as a potential Type-2. First, Homura's Timeline #4 counterpart retains (or in Homura's case, regains) most of her powers as a time-traveller mahou shoujo, with the exception of time travelling itself, being able to freeze time for quite a longer period than the previous Homura and being able to store anything in her ever useful Hyperspace Arsenal (in her shield). In addition to that, Homura gains powerful speed (exceeding Mach II), and has an exceedingly large amount of magical potential (she can eject magical energy from her shield almost without any taint in her Soul Gem, resulting in her power to transform her shield into an energy-based board – normal mahou shoujos could never keep doing it for a full hour without fully tainting thier Soul Gems), as a result of Homura's body being reconfigured twice. However, due to the nature of her soul, her soul maintains quite a connection between her body and her Soul Gem, often causing unbearable pain in tasks normal mahou shoujo could endure, such as getting hit by a bullet or falling from the Eiffel Tower, without actually dying. Her real gained power, however, comes in two forms: her endless need-to-know knowledge and light-saber which she had kept inside her shield. Her endless knowledge enables her access to every information regarding witches, mahou shoujos (as they're considered pre-witches), and even fighting tactics and intel, but only when needed. To access anything other than that is most often quite a long shot, often utlizing life-threatening situations just to tap into her wellspring of knowledge and acessing her needed data for merely 50 miliseconds.

Homura retains most of her design, being very much similar to time traveller Homura. When acessing her limitless information, her eyes turn bright purple, but for only 50 miliseconds, and when holding her light-saber, her hands glow an eerie purple, indicating energy flow from her Soul Gem to her native weapon. P.S. she cannot summon light-sabers, in spite of it being her true native weapon.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

"We should meet up with Kyouko quickly." Homura said, looking at the monitor billboards, catching the attention of a single news. "The news is spreading faster than I originally thought."

Homura stared at the news, looking for a few moments at the news:

ー-～-ー-～-ー-～  
><em>Unknown Anomaly detected on Mitakihara City, Furukawa City, and neighbouring towns...<em>  
>ー-～-ー-～-ー-～<p>

"Right," Sayaka said. "...so where are we going?"

"Mai, you should know where the underground meetings take place, right?" Homura asked, looking at the time: 1:50 pm.

Mai nodded, looking at Sayaka and quickly holding her hands.

"You're always wierd," Sayaka commented.

Glancing at Sayaka, then at Homura, Mai grabbed Sayaka, stealthy dissipating among the busy crowd.

"Let's go meet Kyouko," Homura said, flickering her head in the wind. "I don't like this place, and I'm sure Kyouko feels it too."

Mami started walking, following Homura as her head turned back and forth. A few blocks away from the city borders are skyscapers - sky-high skyscrapers, ranging from 100 to 400-story buildings - all while hundred of busy businessmen made thier fancy way towards thier work.

"This city..." Homura said to Mami. "...was made from a single wish of a magical girl...a prosperous city...and now..."

Sounds are heard from Homura's far right: it was a thug, wearing a black T-Shirt and black pants, handing out a box to a mysterious man covered in a dark veil. While the conversation was barely audible, words that struck Mami the worst were _Kill him_.

"By giving hope to a city, same amount of despair must be given to someone as well." Homura said.

"But that means...!" Mami knew where this gonversation would be going.

"By me gaining hope to the world, an equivalent despair must be given," Homura said. "That's the rule of every wish..."

"But that's...?" the sound of the wonks of an incoming bus covered Mami's voice.

"...Yes... so... please..." Homura'a her body around and held Mami's two shaking hands. "Please find... the remaining hope to this world..."

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Kyouko glanced around the area. Why has she stopped running juat now, I wonder? I mean, there was no need for her to run in the first place: it's not like she has anything to run from, except for a few rogue puella magi, and probably the police.

"Now, lemme look at what that freaking stalker gave me..." Kyouko said to herself.

You may not know me but

I do know you. I'll see you

30 mins. from now, Kyouko,

a mahou shoujo.

#Homura Akemi

-0996XXXXXXX

"Damn it," Kyouko scratched her head as she read the measage all over again. "Just who is this Homura Akemi...?"

"That would be me."

Kyouko quickly turned around, startled at the clearly close voice, never minding the unconsiously malicious people surrounding them. There she was, Homura Akemi, in full frontal glory, and looking at the girl beside her...

"Mami-chan?" Kyouko displayed every bit of surprise at the sight. "So ya finally dropped out of that school and finally considered my offer in Furukawa City?"

"Not in the slightest..." Mami replied.

"Let's go," Homura got ahold of Kyouko and Mami's hands, her hair merely swooshing out into the open air as she activated her time-freezing abilty again, and just like that, everything froze in front of three, as if everything they saw were a recorded BD. As even the doves and the people stopped mid-air, Mami simply sighed at Kyouko's ever-generic sense of surprise.

"This...is..." before Kyouko could say anything, Homura gripped her hand.

"If you let go, time will stop for you too," Homura said. "Let's go meet the others..."

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Mai kept on moving, and, like a plow, dragged Sayaka through the busy crowds , and over the sky high skyacrapers, recalling the routes on which Mai went to, merely scanning the area for possible taboos on the current location of the underground meetings. Just then and there, a scribble caught Mai's attention.

_cielo __el psy congroo_

"There," Mai's low pitched voice caught Sayaka's attention. "The sign...they're here."

"They're here, what do you mean-"

Before Sayaka could complete the statement, a warp literally warped her word into oblivion, as the sudden new surroundings flinched Sayaka. It was on a roof, just on top of the two buildings that just surrounded them seconds ago. 2 mahou shoujos wearing black-patterned rectangular glasses were in the blue, clear sky, wearing the usual business attires to cover themselves through the crowd without the unnecessary suspicion. One of the girls wore a black pin to shorten her otherwise long hair, wearing a beige mini-skirt, if that's what you call it, and a tight girl-style polo. Looking back at her other companion, then back at the visitor's new companion, she went back to typing in her black VAIO.

"Welcome, Silencer," one of mahou shoujo bow her head in respect to the veteran. "What can we do for you?"

Sayaka couldn't believe the scene she saw right now, but then again, to see is to believe, right? Just how can they keep a full community of mahou shoujos in thus city without clashes, and how the heck they can keep a constant flow of information on this city.

"Are you interested in a new prospect of witches?" the other girl asked Mai.

"I'm not here for that right now." Mai said to the two on-patrol mahou shoujos, sensing how little time she had. "Call a Threat Level 6."

"T-threat level 6?" the girl's glasses fell onto the ground. "A-are you s-serious?"

"You've heard heard the news in Furukawa City?" Mai said, looking at the monitors meters below her, then looking at the far horizon. There, far beyond the mountains, are dark clouds, as far as they are, steadily, but surely making making thier way towards the only mahou shoujo information center in Japan.

"Threat Information..." Mai started narrating. "Threat, Witch Level SS..."

The other girl started typing in her black VAIO laptop, taking close notes of the Mai's notes, all while Sayaka merely watched it all happening.

"Power Level, 500 more powerful than Walpurgisnacht..." Mai continued, then turned to Sayaka. "Check if Homura's here."

"No need," with a sudden entrance, Homura, Mami, and Kyouko appeared before the gang, with the two partially drenched in sweat.

"Just... why... the hell... does this underground meeting... be on top... of a 100 story skyscraper..." Kyouko fell from her stance. "And why... the hell... did we use... the stairs...!"

"No time to be resting..." Homura held Kyouko's hand, pushing her back up again.

「Sayaka's Soul Gem: 12% Darkened」

「Mami's Soul Gem: 5% Darkened」

「Kyouko's Soul Gem: 0.9% Darkened」

「Homura's Soul Gem: 2% Darkened」

"Yes, yes," the girl unlocked her pins, revealing long beige hair as she continued typing in her laptop. "Recommendations?"

"Evacuate Japan, and go to..." Homura's eyes glowed bright purple. "San Francisco, California. It'll be an excellent place to gather enough mahou shoujos for a retaliation."

_San...__ Francisco... California... did I just say that?_ Homura wondered at her own words. _Why San Francisco, California, I wonder? Is it a premonition? My powers? But... I could have just as logically choose Laos or Australia...but anyway..._

"California sounds like a good place, but isn't it too far?" Mami checked Kyouko's phone (a Samsung Galaxy) and checking the maps.

"We'll need 3 days to prepare for the event, anyway... to prepare the necessary resources..." Homura pointed out. "Besides..."

"Hey...look!" Sayaka looked down on the ground. "The people...!"

Sayaka saw the scene right before her eyes. Hundreds of people, of whom in her point of view are like mere dots in a concrete street partially full of moving little rounded rectangles and static pointed rectangles that some of the dots would go to. In that instant, everyone stopped in thier tracks, then started gathering towards her left.

"That's rare in this city... a witch in the middle of the city," the beige-haired girl looked at her on-patrol companion. "Let's go, Hikari."

The other girl with her nodded.

"No," Homura said. "Continue on sending the necessary information. Kriemhild Gretchen's barrier will come to this city in around 15 minutes; save anyone you can."

"15 minutes? Seriously...?" Kyouko grabbed ahold on her last Pocky and started munching on it. "and Kriemhild Gretchen is strong because..."

"I'll tll you later, Mai-chan," Homura called her attention. "Call her attention and teleport as many mahou shoujo as you can to our meeting place. We need every help in the world..."

Mai nodded.

"Sayaka, Mami, Kyouko," Homura asked, staring at their worried eyes. "Can you still fight? There's a possibility this witch is..."

"Yep, we can handle it, right?" Mami smiled in a matter unrecognizable to Sayaka.

"Y-yeah, I guess," Sayaka responded.

_Mami__ is..._ Homura thought.

_I__ am..._ Mami thought.

_s__uch terrible liar._

Homura jumped from the roof then and there, followed by Sayaka, Mami, and Kyouko. As Homura fell from roof, she held Sayaka's hand, whom, in turn held Mami's and Kyouko's hand.

"Madoka, I'll save you." Homura muttered, and a click from her shield instantly caught their attention, both of them dissappearing into thin air, just to end up merely 10 meters from the ground, now ribing on her surf board with the 3 in sight. Now on the way to the witch's barrier, separated by an oblique barrier that covers a nearby bank, surrounded by a few fruit stores.

But just on top of a nearby building, someone was watching them from afar. A figure, wearing a silver-lined witch's hat and ever-revealing dress, covering her eyes, staring most especially at Homura, staring at everyone, wanting to help them, but cannot.

"Homura-chan..."

A teardrop fell from her eyes, just before dissappearing in the next instant...

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

"We're here..." Homura quickly dragged everybody's hand towards the barrier. "Let's go finish this... like a team."

"Yeah, like-" Kyouko tried saying it, but Mami covered her mouth qith her two fingers.

"Just do it," Mami displayed her usual sisterly smile.

In that very second, everything changed: visions, distortions, and warps. By the time Sayaka opened her eyes yet again, a large plain appeared before them, with brick borders at the far end of the red-dyed plain. Trees surrounded thier entrance, but unlike real trees, thiese ones grew surreal designed dollars.

Sayaka giggled the minute she saw the design, "Money DOES grow on trees."

"Funny how you can still pull out jokes at a time like this," Mami commented, readying her flintlock.

"Here she comes," Homura diverted everyone's attention towards the emerging witch. "Mami, she might be a-"

"Yes, I know that all too well now," Mami interrupted. "We can't do anything about that can we?"

"Only Type 2's can go further than a witch," Homura coldly said.

"Type 2?" Kyouko hear the two. "what's-"

A generic roar caught the four's attention. It was the witch, looking at Kyouko with a menacing stare.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

**Kopeck**

_Nature: _Financial Obsession

_M.G. Alias: _Yoko Hizashi

_Description: _Kopeck's form is quite similar to a brown 4-horse chariot with a brown statue-like figure standing behind the chariot carts. Unlike most witches, however, Kopeck doesn't always have a predictable movement style. Using her familiars, named Rupee, Sheqel, and Notgeld, she utilizes a handful of attacks, in that, if you're not careful, will get you either turned into a bank note or worse, a coin as small as a penny. The key to defeating such a witch is always by recongizing patterns of attack, merely seconds after her style of attacking would change.

Rupee, the first familiar, contains a form a green elephant, but don't be fooled: it's extremely fast, and with it's suddenky attacks, you might end up getting crushed by its wide 4 feet.

Sheqel contains the form of a 8-arm 10-feet giant, armed with a large thick sword and gigantic armor, but with a bruised forehead, which continued (even until now) to bleed. He utilizes mostly melee attacks, but don't be surprised if it can throw well-rounded exploding slingahots even from afar.

Notgeld contains the form of a long thick anaconda-like snake and is the most predictable of the 3 familiars. Even with its extremely long length and large mouth, it often utilizes both strangling and venom techinques, mist often depending on the person that it would like to kil or paralyze.

[Forbidden File - Mahou Shoujo]

_Password Required__ - Access Denied_

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

"Kyouko?" Mami asked. "Anything bothering you?"

"No, it's not that...it's just..." before Kyouko could say anything else, a sudden gunshot fire appeared from her left. It was Homura, trying to shoot one of the elephant familiars, only to fail as the elephant dodged the attack as if it were a ghost.

"We don't have time for that." Homura said. "Just fight."

Kyouko snapped out of her trance, finally turning into her mahou shoujo.

"Charge...!" Mami activated the trigger, Kyouko charging for Notgeld with her spear, Sayaka charging towards Sheqel, Mami charging towards Rupee, and Homura suddenly appearing in front of Kopeck.

"Ready, and..." Homura's blinking a glowing purple, just before continuing her attack.

A whisper entered into her mind in that very moment.

_Limit__i Esterni Infiniti..._

『To Be Continued...』

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

Preview:

"Everything…for good or for bad…it always ends up in price, whatever you do, or whatever you put it."

Next episode: "Nothing comes without a price."


	7. EP 6: Nothing comes without a price

**Author Notes:**

It is best at this point if you start reading Puella Magi Kazumi Magica: The Innocent Malice chapters 1 - 5 at this point. I was supposed to add the history for Oriko, but if I do so, you're all gonna have to wait for July. D:

I tell this to you now. The whole save the world from a witch named Madoka is merely scratching the surface. To truly understand the real story behind the facade of stories I've set up to make you at the very least read it, questions must be asked: why the different times in each chapter? Why Kazumi? Why Juubey? What does Oriko have to do with the plot? A lot. Don't be surprised if you find yourselves not wanting to read it any further, but don't be surprised either if you find yourself gripping against your seat, because that is what I intend to do. Just writing it made me cry, knowing in full detail what happens to Kazumi and Homura as the chapters go by. Can Madoka be defeated? Can Homura's plan work? Damn it.

Conclusion: It's heartbreaking using almost the same style as Urobuchi Gen in writing the plot.

Effect: 1 week delay.

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**Plot:**

Homura Akemi, the time traveler, has left a world line in which Madoka becomes Kriemhild Gretchen, the greatest witch of all time, and Kyubey leaves Earth. With the help of nearly 1000 mahou shoujos, including Kyouko, Sayaka, Mami, Kazumi, and a different and more powerful Homura, can they defeat this witch and bring about hope again to an impending apocalypse?

Android Phone Edit: 06/12/11 ~ 06/13/11

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**Disclaimer:**

This message merely exists to (possibly) satisfy those copyrighters, so I say it anyway. I only own the idea to this fanfiction, the unofficial OCs, and ideas that are unsure or unconfirmed within Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Puella Magi Kazumi Magica.

By the way, it's best that you play Connect (TV version) when you reach the chapter title strip and Magia (TV version) when you reach the To Be Continued strip of the chapter.

"A... Type... 2." Mami muttered. "So, Homura did find her..."

Mami could barely hold onto her own consciousness, as if, with the constant grip of Pollon over her, it wouldn't take long before she'd faint back again...but...

_Can you cling to it when I say it's a one in a million chance?_

Mami could still remember that statement. She knew at that point that there was such a thing called hope, even in a world full of despair. Insomuch as to how such hope can be realized is most often another thing.

Hope?  
>Does it exist? Yes.<br>Despair?  
>Does it exist? Certainly.<p>

They always co-exist, side by side, in an endless recurrsion of emotions, in an endless cycle of life, an endless melody of life.

"Ehhh?" Umika's eyes widened at the scene as she tried reaching her book with the state she is now, being tied in arrow-pointed light blue flat squid tentacles that seem to tighten by the second. "What just happened? And where's her Soul Gem?"

"Her Soul Gem?" Mami looked around Kazumi, looking for that strange glow they called Soul Gem. "Y-you're right...! Where is-"

"It's inside her body," a voice came from behind them, followed by additional slashes that cut Pollon's tentacles to and fro.

"A-Akemi-san...!" Mami flinched at the sight of Homura Akemi, in her mahou shoujo dress, slicing away every capsule she could see. A sharp pain in her chest caused Homura to curl a bit as ahe kept on freeing the girls, but all in all she was still intact.

"Oii, you," Sayaka shouted over as she held her Soul Gem near her cut hand, getting ahold of her other hand and watching as her hands carefully stick back to where they came from, as a part of the human body. "Don't you dare force yourself...!"

"I'm fine," Homura said in a monochrome tone.

"No, you're not," Mami shouted.

A sudden attack from Rimi F caught the still recovering Mami, Sayaka, Umika, and Kaoru off-guard, attempting to slash them off from thier right, and Homura, quickly seeing the situation, instantly blocked the attack with her shield.

"Thanks, Homura-chan," Kaoru smiled, just before she herself and Mami started treating her wounds, of which she twitched in reflex.

Homura turned to Kazumi, merely protected by an invisible barrier, of which Pollon kept on attacking her with her squid tentacles, as if she were a special edition item. Kazumi had just regained full consciousness of herself again.

Kazumi's eyes were focused on herself in amazement, "Wh-what happened to...-"

Kazumi's eyes caught Homura's figure, standing in her shield against Rimi F's persistent attacks. Rimi F kept on slashing with her fancy daggers, often side-stepping in an attempt to tear through Homura's one-girl defense, only to fail as Homura merely used her time shield to compensate for her wound disadvantage and still be able to block Rimi F's attacks. However, an attack from Rimi F caused Homura to lose balance for a bit, steping backward and nearly stepping on one of the unconscious mahou shoujo.

"Homura-chan!" Kazumi ran towards Homura, only to be blocked by Pollon's tentacles.

"Just focus on finishing the witch," Homura said. "Your help is unnecessary..."

Kazumi wondered for a while, though. For a while Pollon merely stopped attacking her. Why was that? Why wasn't she attacking?

And then she remembered...

How many did they fought?

1 (Rimi F) ...  
>2 (Ika F)...<br>3 (Tukasa R F)...  
>4 (Angel F)...<br>5 (Yuki F)...

_Wait...that's wrong._ Kazumi thought. _There were supposed to be 6!_

_Starlight..._

Kazumi looked directly above her, in a place nobody, not even Homura, would have expected without help from her ability.

_Breaker..._

A feminine voice in full English came from above. It was the beige twin-tailed familiar, simply waiting and gathering the most perfect opportunity to strike her. The beige twin-tailed familiar, displaying a cute, yet creepy smile as the surrounding light converged with a large circle of pink light, with light pink wings protruding from her staff.

"Starlight Breaker!" the familiar shouted, firing a gigantic beam of pink light, surrounded by several pink magical circles.

(A/N: Oh damn.)

"Kazumi!" Umika shouted out.

"Don't move," Homura said in reflex, readying her shield for the worst.

Almost instantly, the flash of light converged into a single point, fired in a single strike as the blast hit the ground, creating a large pink explosion that dyed the whole arena in pink, and like glass, shattering the space-looking walls, revealing dozens of skyscrapers floated right after, only to get mashed to smithereens merely by the shock wave of the blast. Almost every windows in the skyscrapers shattered, along with the hundreds of computers inside it, and even so, Pollon's final barrier, the sole barrier separating the witch's dimension to that if reality's, broke from above, shattering the very foundations of the barrier, slowly breaking up, revealing a nearly turning yellow sky, partially covered with white clouds - it was the real sky.

ロネムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

_Episode 6  
><em>_"__Nothing comes without a price__"_

ロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

"Kazumi!" Kaoru shouted over.

"Stand back!" Umika yelled, bringing out a barrier in her front.

"...!"

Almost instantly, Homura saw the barrier breaking, much like how a hammer would break into a door. It was Rimi F, who was still alive and still trying to attack them.

Homura didn't even flinch, and, while partially blinded at the pink-filled explosion, instinctively drew out her shield as Rimi F's attack finally broke the barrier, and with it the sudden burst of energy waiting to vaporize them all, but, Homura, in quick response, switched over her back in the blink of an eye, slashing her with her purple light-saber, all while her shield is facing the explosion.

"She'll live," Homura's emotionless face could have pissed off anyone right now, but it didn't matter to everyone right now. What mattered was Kazumi, however, and their remaining hope.

It didn't take long before the explosion would finally resolve after that sudden surge of an attack. Obviously, such a damage had already succeeded in ruining much of the arena, save the exit door where Mami came from. Light pierced through the now yellow sky into the large opening on most of the sides and the roof, with full indication that the Starlight Breaker did more than break the starlight, it even broke the witch's barrier.

"Owww...oww..." a voice came from the resolving smoke in the explosion. It was Kazumi, still intact, although her hands are smoking white from that attack. Her suit hasn't changed at all: no scratches, no tears, no damage, except for a few dust.

"Wait..." Kazumi instantly realized the onslaught of the familiar's power, looking around the now open arena. "I... blocked... it?"

Kazumi simply couldn't believe what she's seeing right now. Now just then, is a girl, who managed to repel such a gigantically powerful attack that could have destroyed an entire city if allowed. Just what happened to her? What was this strange power flowing from within her? Was it like last time, when they fought Yuuri? Or was it something else, something more than that, and something more suitable to call a real magical girl, one that actually gives hope.

"Do it, Kazumi!" Mami shouted. "Show us what hope is!"

Kazumi couldn't understand what Mami meant, but she knew now what was happening: she was the only mahou shoujo who remained that can fight Pollon. But how can she defeat it? Can she defeat it? She already knew that everything has changed, but to actually do it is alway another different thing. If you were the old Kazumi, what would you do?

"B-But...how...?" Kazumi asked.

Kazumi looked at Homura, looking for an answer. This girl, who was searching for her as her only hope of this world, must know what to do right now, right? What is it though? She knew herself enough to know she had lack resolve. She even turned into a witch for Pete's sake. But...

Just before Kazumi's thoughts materialized, Homura's seemingly empty eyes stared back at Kazumi.

"You can only do what you think you can do," Homura said. Whether it was her own way of rejection or encouragement, God only knows. "Do you want to be a burden or an asset?"

A sudden cold breeze swept the two girls.

"N-no..." Kazumi placed her hand in her upper left, blocking an attack from the remaining girl familiar. "I don't want to be a burden, never again!"

She pointed her staff towards the unsuspecting familiar.

_Limiti Esterni...!_

Her eyes glowed red as she released a dark beam, patterned with a witch-like mark. Firing at point-blank range, Kazumi saw the familiar's silhouette, almost instantaneously dissolving in the said attack.

"Alright," Kazumi turned to the witch, her red burning eyes displayed a generic mix of anger and compassion, an emotion she herself cannot comprehend. What kind of feeling is this - this feeling of wrath, coupled with mercy; and this feeling of anger, coupled with pity? "Time to finish you off!"

Kazumi walked towards Pollon, with her cross staff ready for a direct melee attack. Never wiling to surrender, Pollon roared, opening her robe yet again. This time 15 familiars sprouted out of the void inside it, each very different qualities. One familiar was dressed in a black robe with eyes of crimson red, with yellow blonde hair barely visible due to her long dark cape, with a height nearly as long as Mami is. Another short twin-tailed familiar held a short cute-looking staff with 3 gems at the front with small angel wings forming at the front with a cute, pink fluffy dress full of frills much like Madoka. Another one of the long light pink twin-tailed familiars wore a red sailor uniform, equipped with 2 short samurai swords and 2 0.5 mm caliber pistons. Orders: to kill, capture, or be killed.

A familiar fired a black beam towards Kazumi, only to miss as Kazumi's image faded from the familiar, only to appear in her back. At that instant, a sharp pain pierced through familiar's body, and just like that, the familiar's body disintegrated into the air like dust. The other familiars, although slightly intimidated, followed the first familiar, firing several shot of all sorts to Kazumi, may it be bullets, magical shots, or ice shards. Only to miss as Kazumi dodge them like a ghost, appearing almost instantly merely a few centimeters behind their backs, stabbing them with a few strikes of her cross staff.

"Don't make it hard for me...you damn thing..." Kazumi's eyes glowed red yet again, this time with a pattern similar to an S pattern.

"That...pattern...that's...!" Before Umika could talk any further, everything around them stopped, much like a stop button ina video player.

A certain hand reached out for the two: it was Homura, the same girl who can, instantly freeze time with her shield. Noticing her holding Mami's hand, it was clear now how they managed to move in spite of time stopping on them...

"We should not stay here any further," she declared.

She glanced at the exit, then, looking at Umika and Kaoru, reached out her other hand towards them.

"We should leave while we have the chance," Homura further suggested. Wait, repeating the same thing?

Nothing was to be said however, as it was all true. Just by looking at the situation, it was obvious how insanely strong the witch is right now, and just how they made a mistake, underestimating its power when in fact it's really around 20 times stronger than Walpurgis.

"Will Kazumi be alright?" Kaoru asked.

"She will," Homura assured, and glancing at Kazumi, she noticed a slight movement in Kazumi, as she was too fast to be fully affected by the time freezing. "We'll just be a burden if we would stay any further."

Umika got up, holding Mami's hand, with the recurring pain in her both legs still lingering. Kaoru followed just after Umika, holding on to both their hands to avoid getting frozen by Homura's time magic.

"We should also bring them," Homura pointed to the unconscious girls, whose Soul Gems have been fully cleansed of grief.

"Sure..." Umika agreed. "But we should rather do that later..."

With enough stamina, Homura, Kaoru, and Umika started running towards the exit, dropping Mami's hand in exchange for Homura and passing through several doors. Passing through the same rooms as the 2 went before, they saw several cracks in the walls, much to Umika and Kaoru's surprise. They passed through the same computer room as Mami and Sayaka did, but it now changed into a junkie's paradise, filled with crashed computers, most of which have shattered monitors and CPUs filled with sparks, that is if ever they actually moved.

"Is... this... Kazumi's full power?" Umika shivered.

"Umika...chan..." Kaoru tried saying, only to stop for utter lack of words.

A flutter echoed the entire room; it was Homura, who turned around, staring at Umika as her eyes shimmered in bright purple for merely a second.

"No," Homura shook her head. "Her real power... is more than that..."

Her words couldn't help but totally silence the two.

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Meanwhile, in the midst of now open sky, Kazumi's eyes continued to peer into the familiar's movements, gracefully dodging them all at once while the 14 familiars and Pollon all attack in perfect synchrony. A familiar attacked Kazumi using a double miniature samurai towards Kazumi, followed by consecutive fires of her double 0.5 mm pistols with enough accuracy to pierce a hole through a 1 mm x 1 mm cloth 50 away without fail. A sharp gunshot bended through Kazumi's cheek, leaving behind a sharp, yet shallow wound.

"Damn you...!" anger had fully engulfed Kazumi; her eyes had fully been marked with a dark crimson 'S' symbol. "DIE!"

The sharp end of Kazumi's cross pierced the familiar's throat, with black blood spewing out of the familiar's neck into the air like a geyser, just before disintegrating into oblivion. The sight traumatized the spectator Mami, nearly vomiting just from the gory chain of events, not because of the familiar, but because of something, an unavoidable fact she noticed just too late.

Kazumi has completely changed.

"Kazumi?" Mami worriedly ran for her, completely ignoring those constant cries from her body to rest and wait for Homura.

A familiar, equipped with a dark saber-like staff and wearing a dark cape with black ribbons separating her considerably long twin-tails appeared right in front of Mami almost instant, as if to block her from interfering, and, as if it had an empty void-filled heart, pointed her staff in her forehead. Mami, in response, summoned a flintlock in her hand, firing it in her head, only to miss as the familiar's image disappeared in the background, only quickly appeared right behind her.

_Blitz Impact..._

A magical blast from her staff threw Mami sideward, and like a chain of signals, Mami's body collapsed altogether, nearly crying in pain as the familiar took her Soul Gem, attempting to slowly crush it right in front of her.

"Mami!"

Kazumi almost instantly tried stabbing the familiar with her staff and reaching for Mami's Soul Gem, only to miss and appear near her side, hitting her with the sickle form of her staff. Kazumi, however, anticipated the move, disappearing right after and appearing right at the familiar's back, this time with the eye of her staff just in front of her.

_Limiti interni...!_

A dark magical ball formed inside the familiar, engulfing the familiar whole and, consequently, dropping Mami's Soul Gem.

"Kazu...mi..." Mami had crawled enough to catch her own Soul Gem. "Don't... let... your witch side... control... you...!"

Her voice dissipated into nothingness with nothing returning as a reply. Mami had fainted.

It was utterly useless talking to Kazumi at this state, whose anger had totally engulfed her soul. Firing several similar magical balls of the sort, she fired it at several directions, never missing her target as it absorbed several of Pollon's familiars just before exploding.

"Now!"

That instant, her sudden move created several afterimages, stabbing several familiars in the way, just before moving just behind Pollon, stripping Pollon's robe with her staff. A ripping sound followed just before a stream of black ink erupted from the stripped robe, causing Pollon to roar in agony, as if quickly ordering her familiars to cover her in response.

A cute short familiar aka Meruru F appeared just beside Kazumi, attempting to strike Kazumi with her short 3 gem staff, only strike merely its afterimage. Kazumi appeared just ahead, but surprisingly, an unsuspecting familiar got a hold of her staff, instantly throwing it to the right, far for anyone to grab it back to her.

Kazumi quickly tried reaching for the staff, quickly moving from one area to the next. But the same familiar grabbed a hold of her two feet, appearing from the bottom just like a ghost. Unlike the other familiars, this had a semi-transparent body with a bluish tone, while her eyes glow red-violet and and wore 60-year old sailor uniform.

"Damn it," before Kazumi could realize, her entire body had been surrounded by countless ghost-like familiars (they all look alike), each touching her entire body, from top to bottom.

A blush escaped Kazumi's cheek, and her S mark faded for a bit. It was the ghost familiars, attempting to drive her off with their perverted tactics, but she knew it was no time to slack off. Far from a distance, 3 familiars stood around Kazumi, each preparing their signature attacks as ordered by Pollon. One of the familiars, Meruru F, stood at her front left side, pointing her staff towards Kazumi with light steadily converging at its front. The second familiar coming in from her front right side, wearing a black suit with a star in her left with a black bra covering her very much flat bust. Her eyes were of bright, yet exceedingly empty purple, with a resonating purple flame continuously engulfing her left eye. This familiar, alias BRS F, pointed her extremely large boozoka-looking gun at Kazumi, with a blue light forming at its center.

Kazumi instinctively pointed her palm at herself, trying to shake of the ghost familiars that continued touching every part of her body.

_Limiti...interni...!_

A dark magical ball floated right out her hand. Now to-

_M F T S I__..._

Almost suddenly, Kazumi's magical ball moved on her own, hitting the exit door. With the door destroyed, rubble around it collapse into itself, effectively destroying it.

"What?" Kazumi's eyes dilated in surprise. She glanced at her far right. There it was: a familiar with long light-blue hair, with empty red - mint green eyes full of small inscriptions, with a long nun dress, coupled with needles that seem to keep her nun dress in place. The familiar, aka Index JP F, kept her distance, steadily floating in air.

_John__'s Pen mode activated._

_Target Threat: Kazumi._

_Method of Destroying Threat: Dragon's Breath_

Strange religious inscriptions surrounded Index JP F, all revolving around a mysteriously creepy occult-like circle. Wings protruded from her back, and she reached her hands towards Kazumi, with a heavenly white light radiating out of a small point in her hand.

It seems as though this fight cannot end anytime soon.

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエ ニエニエニコ

Deactivating her time shield, Homura opened the door, now merely a pile of trash merely made heavy by the pile of rubble. Just how did they talk with each other, one would wonder?

"The wide sky, at last!" Kaoru would have jumped right now, if not for her still lingering wounds. "I just hope she can do it..."

"How can we say we're our friends if we don't trust her?" Umika responded. "We know she can do it, isn't right, Akemi-san...?"

Homura didn't respond at all, but rather look at the far horizon, all while several small buildings stood surrounding the witch's barrier. The sky, now dyed yellow, simply served to compliment the beautiful shore, which was barely visible from above. Several figures from the shore were scrambling atound thier places: it was most likely Zhuo, who went back to the shore to supervise the building of the system. That techy bastard.

"The shores of San Francisco," Umika smiled. "Must be nice, huh?"

If only they had enough time to see this scenery,  
>If only they had seen the wonderful world they all lived in,<br>If only they all hadn't gave in to despair...  
>Maybe there wouldn't any magical girl-turned-witch in the world anymore...<p>

"If only that was the case," Umika sighed.

A black cat seemed to pass the two, sneaking in from the left side of the rooftop to the next. Two white 'ears' dragged on the cat creature as it passed by, trying to avoid any kind of notice.

Homura's attention turned to the thing that passed by, "I need to take care of something,"

"Akemi-" Umika's attention almost suddenly snapped to Homura's, trying to reach Homura's hand, but it was too late. In a click of a gear, Homura's figure disappeared almost instantly.

"That girl," Umika sighed, her eyes now fixed on Kaoru.

Koaru, however, looked around, with eyes the look like she saw a living ghost. Her eyes scouted around the vicinity, only to end up focused back on Umika.

"Did... I..." Kaoru shivered. "Just saw... Juubey?"

"EH? B-But..." Umika's eyes seem to twitch as she tried picking up the right words to tell Kaoru. "I... I thought... he was supposed to be dead...!"

Or so they thought...

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"I've finally caught you..."

Homura leaned against the wall as she fired a couple of shots from a pistol, missing their target as predicted. Juubey, the black cat-like Incubator, merely teleported instantaneously as Homura fired her pistons - even in mid-time freeze, appearing 1 m from where he original was.

"Tell me, Akemi," Juubey asked, jumping to the next rooftop. "Do you intend to kill me?"

With the click of a gear, Homura appeared right in front of Juubey, this time with a gun pointed in her head.

"It depends," Homura coldly replied with a gun pointed at point-black range. After a few seconds, however, Homura pointed her gun down. "I still need you fo my plans though."

Juubey wiggled her tail, "Well, it seems as though you had plan of your own after all, as expected of Kyubey's Type 2..."

"I'm not a Type 2," Homura said. "Or, maybe not yet..."

Homura stared at Juubey.

"You know you can't defeat Kriemhild Gretchen that easily, do you?" Juubey sat down for a while.

Homura turned her head to the ocean-filled horizon.

"I can," Homura assured, "But..."

Her hair fluttered along the sudden strong breeze.

"With Kazumi, we can create a miracle," Homura continued. "I can bring Madoka back."

Juubey's face turned serious.

"As much I'd like a third Type 2," Juubey's head turned back to Pollon, sighing a bit. "Do you know what miracles like that cost, Akemi-san? Nothing comes without a price. Everything good or bad... Even that miracle... has a price..."

Juubey referred to Kazumi.

"I can handle such," Homura monotonously replied. "I'm sure Kazumi can too."

Homura's attention diverted to two figures, whose heads kept on scouting out her location. It was Kaoru and Umika, presumably looking for Homura, and possibly for Juubey...

"I'm sure you can handle it," Juubey smiled, this time in a not-so-creepy way. "I do have human emotions like you, after all, but..."

Juubey walked towards a nearby door.

"Can this universe handle it?" Juubey sneaked in through the door at its bottom. Wait, what the hell is Juubey made of?

"Goodbye, Akemi-san," Juubey's voice tore through the door.

Homura's heartbeat thumped.

_Juubey... the Incubator created... by Kazumi__'s... wish._

『To Be Continued...』

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Preview:

"What is reality? Is it when really when other people see it the same as one does, or is it, in reality, merely a shared illusion, made by the one who never accepted it in the first place?"

Next episode: "Nothing like it seemed to be."


	8. Annoncements

**A****nnouncement****s**

Due to certain RL cicumstances (especially as the end-season for me usually means endless projects and final exams - *cough* I made a 1600+ line C++ code the other day...) Episode 8 is delayed until next week. (Sorry dear readers... well, as if this work is actually being appreciated. T_T *is lamenting loss of 'pointless' reviews of msgs like 'omg why did Kyubey do this?' or 'damn...who's that mysterious girl?')

Episode 8 is sort-of wham-esque episode... while it won't reveal anything about Kazumi's wish (about Juubey), it will still be quite a stunning episode. Characters from Oriko will be introduced in that chapter, along with other things like the origins of the city and what happened to Japan in that the military will be involved. Sorry... I'm really absolutely sorry... but the tension would have to wait one more week. Expect revelations: connections that you've never seen before, and by this chapter the whole puella series will be inter-connected - Kazumi, Oriko, and Madoka. And of course Madoka being the Big Bad now... T_T By chapter 10, time will speed up for a bit, along with the two timeframes being in one chapter (expect 10,000+ words, but 2 weeks worth of time).

As for other good news, I'm working on a short prequel to Homura and the Apocalyptic Rift and sequel to Chapter 6 of Puella Magi Kazumi Magica, possibly only 5 chapters, entitled _Kazumi's Diary_. As the name suggests, it's about Kazumi rediscovering her lost diary, revealing oh so many spoilers for HaAP itself. Oh God, probably the greatest of all those spoilers will be Kazumi's surname and her dark past until she got kidnapped. What was that past event she saw in her lost memories in Chapter 1? That too shall be revealed. Hopefully more people will read this one after it, as reading Prologue and Chapter 1 will probably do no good ;P.

As for my lamentations for lack of eager reviewers, oh well. TT_TT Tell me, is my fic included in the 10% that's crud?

Ok, that's all.


	9. EP 7: Nothing like it seemed to be

**Author Notes:**

Sorry Sorry, Sorry, I'm quite awfully late Y_Y. Sorry for the inconvenience. For some damn reason it has been very hard depicting this chapter (most especially the end). God, so many unworthy paragraphs to change, so many sentences that are awfully wrong. God. Well, at least I'm done now... Whew..

10 Points and a Special Mention to the one who can say the answer to at least one reference ;P

Now for some not-so-serious stuff...Well, I'd like a real OP for this fic sometime, and this is how it would it would likely go...Touhou-inspired... yeah...look below for more details. And for other news, I finally have a beta, _ChiptuneImpulse_. Thanks mate, even though it's almost like a 6,000 page chapter. xD (He probably hates those stuff)

ニエニエニエニエニエニ

**Plot:**

Homura Akemi, the time traveler, has left a world line in which Madoka becomes Kriemhild Gretchen, the greatest witch of all time, and Kyubey leaves Earth. With the help of nearly 1000 mahou shoujos, including Kyouko, Sayaka, Mami, Kazumi, and a different and more powerful Homura, can they defeat this witch and bring about hope again to an impending apocalypse?

Android Phone Edit: 07/07/11 (Beta'd)

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**Disclaimer:**

This message merely exists to (possibly) satisfy those copyrighters, so I say it anyway. I only own the idea to this fanfiction, the unofficial OCs, and ideas that are unsure or unconfirmed within Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Puella Magi Kazumi Magica. and Puella Magi Oriko Magica.

ニエニエニエニエニエニ

"Oii, Homura..."

"Miki-san...?"

"Did I mention that I've always hate you?"

"Yes... back in one of my time loops..."

"Figures, sheesh, why did I even-"

_Slash!_

A sharp dollar bank note would have beheaded the two, that's if Homura didn't pull Sayaka out with her lighting quick senses.

"Erm, thanks," Sayaka redundantly responded.

Another dollar bank note sped towards her; leaving a slash on her cheek with a pretty shallow-deep wound; blood started coming out of it.

"Oii," Kyouko caught their attention, just before another mind-scraping dollar banknote nearly went through her neck. "Stop blabbering, and start actually fighting."

Kyouko's words met with a standstill freeze as suddenly an elephant familiar wrapped its long green nose to her body.

"D-Damn..." Kyouko pulled out her spear to stab the familiar's nosy long nose. However, the elephant familiar noticed this, further tightening the grip on her body like that of an anaconda.

"Slack off huh?" Sayaka smiled, appearing right in front of the elephant's trunk. The sound of Sayaka's sword tore the the air around it, creating something like a vacuum slash, sharp enough to tear away metal, and faster than the speed of sound. With enough luck, the elephant's trunk fell to the ground, along with Kyouko. The elephant familiar, having lost her precious trunk, repeatedly stomping the ground in a berserk trance.

In another scene, Mami pointed several flintlocks at the bronze figure, firing them without mercy. The sharp deflect sound echoed its way to her however: a giant 8-arm figure dashed towards Mami's path, deflecting her gunshot with its 8 swords. With a sudden, yet clear view of the giant's figure, Mami instinctively summoned a ribbon towards the giant. While it did not do much good, other than the familiar using all her arms to slash away the ribbons, Mami smiled as she fired a second flintlock directly at its forehead; the giant stepped backwards in response, attempting to dodge the sudden attack.

Homura glanced at her 3 teamates, and with a doubtful face randomly fired at the 3 familiars and Kopeck, taking the time to snatch the 3 back. And then an idea came.

"We should think of a formation," Homura suggested.

"I agree," Mami replied. "As many as we are, we can't face this witch as effective without cooperation. At the very least we could keep our Soul Gem levels up without consuming much magic."

"I agree with Mami on that one," Kyouko nodded. "I mean, with 14 minutes before that powerful witch comes here, we should work together so that we can go all out, right?"

The final, yet silent nod from Sayaka finally settled in the issue.

(Cue Connect ~TV Size~ by ClariS)

ロネムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

_Episode 7  
>"Nothing like it seemed to be."<em>

ロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

"Ok, done..." Hikari held her hands between her black laptop, for the first tine ever drenched in sweat, oil, and crumbs of Kit Kat. "All that's left to do is the mass evacuation. Honestly, I never would have thought we'd encounter such a threat... that is... until now."

"Me either," Mai teleported for a few seconds, only to come back seconds later with a brown Mexican hat in her head.

"Just how powerful can this witch get?" Hikari closed her black laptop, looking far away into the barely visible horizon.

"As they say, powerful enough to end the world," Mai said in a monotone. "I still need the laptop..."

"Oops, sorry," opening the laptop yet again, 10 new messages appeared at the monitor, mostly cries for help.

"Be back in a second," Mai replied. "Ikaru City, Kuroune City, Sendai City..."

A few seconds passed by, this time, she returned with a bag of M&M's and a few Kisses, all clearly written in English.

"Oii," Hikari caught the girl Mai's attention. "I thought too much use of your teleportation will exhaust you Soul Gem."

"No need," Mai replied, opening a pack of Kisses. "I have 30 Grief Gems anyway..."

"...Seriously?" Hikari's other companion, turned her back to Mai. "Was that prospect in Furukawa City really that effective?"

"Well," Mai sighed. "With Kyubey recruiting like... 20 mahou shoujos to the area, no wonder that city became an instant hotspot."

"Kyubey, shady as ever," Hikari's companion lowered her voice. "God, if I had the chance, I'd just punch him in the face, you know...? Last time he did something sinister like that, I heard he recruited two girls in Asunaro City."

"Umm...?" Mai was listening.

"Let's see, I heard the name was Yuuri... or was it Airi?" the girl scratched her head for a while. "Oh yeah Yuuri and Airi. Let's see... I heard Kyubey recruitted this girl Yuuri first just so that she'd turn into a witch. He then used that to recruit this girl Airi to sever the residential mahou shoujos there. It was evil I tell you! EEEVIIILL!"

A depressed Hikari sighed, "Too bad it's not in our policy to tell about mahou shoujos turning witches or anything like that. We all know what usually happens to those who can accept that fact. They either go insane, or lose their sense of living. It's a bit selfish, yes, but without this global network and its policy, territory borders would have become very dim, conflict would always occur on a global basis, and of course, the witch population would spiral out of control."

"How long has it been this way? 30 years?" Mai asked. "It was better this way. Girls like us at the start are usually naive. We never accepted the truth, unlike now. And when they see that everything they knew is nothing like when it seemed to be, they break down."

A gust of wind dragged her Mexican hat through the ravaging skyscraper currents.

"That was my favorite hat..." Mai sighed.

Silence fell upon the three for a few seconds, followed by a sudden gust of wind, noisily fluttering the girls' skirts.

"I thought you were always silent?" Hikari scratched her head.

Mai looked far above the sky, ending doubtful thought with a sigh.

"Me too," Mai monotonously replied.

「Mai's Soul Gem: 18% Darkened」

"Ok, that's the plan," Homura, in mid-time freeze, said to the three surprised mahou shoujos.

"Seriously?" a stunned Kyouko shouted in front of the suicidal, nearly emotionless-looking girl. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"

"I'd be glad to entertain any better ideas," Homura said. "Oh wait, there's nothing else beside it."

"You can say you're right, but isn't this a little bit TOO risky?" Mami asked.

"Not really," Homura pointed to the giant familiar. "The key is in the nature of the witch itself. Basically, the witch is money obsessed so the key is to lure the familiars to their positions with it."

"Anyway, if she's trying to die, then let her be, anyway," Sayaka turned her head around, looking intently at the familiar's figures. "You said you can stop time for 10 minutes, correct?"

"Yes, although it has a cooldown now..." Homura replied. "30 seconds at the very least."

_HOMU:_ Ready?  
><em>KYOUKO:<em> Damnit.

With the the click of a gear, everything moved again with time quickly returning to normal, Homura finally started:

"Ok, Formation 6!"

Sayaka went ahead of Homura to the front, sweeping away dollar paper money that barraged the 4. The snake familiar, Notgeld, spewed out a dozen acid venom shots, only to miss the target, as Homura turned around, suddenly back-flipping, blocking the attack in mid-air.

"C'mon... almost there..." Sayaka simply ran, dragging her light-weight sword along the now yellow-green plains of Kopeck's barrier. Slashing and spinning away a couple of incoming dollar notes, both Homura and Sayaka would make a perfect ballet pair, synchronizing attacks and defense with utmost grace, as if they were dancing thier way towards Kopeck.

"Amazing..." Mami could only comment.

"Oii...stick to the plan, Tomoe-san," Kyouko exclaimed, pulling out her spear to her side. Spinning her spear throughout her body, a fence checkered barrier dragged her body like a wave board.

"Learning new tricks, as always," Mami took out her hat, summoining several flintlocks out of it like a magician taking out bunnies from her hat.

"And you learning so many ways to take out your guns," Kyouko smirked, attempting a direct stab at the giant familiar, Sheqel, and unfortunately missed, blocked by her 8 swords. "You're a puella magi, not a magician."

"Neither are we hoarders, are we?" Mami responded, firing several flintlock shots at the Anaconda-like familiar, hitting several parts of its bodies. A venom "Akemi-san, we're in position!"

"Hmph, Sayaka, let's go," Homura ran in front Sayaka. With a quick signal from Mami, Homura backflipped foward a few times, signaling a jump from Sayaka.

"Here goes nothing...!" Sayaka jumped, up up into the air, while Homura dashed towards Kopeck, reaching for her lightsaber in her vast hyperspace arsenal.

By mere instinct, the elephant familiar, Rupee, dashed towards Homura, with the intention of blocking its path. She, however, merely smiled. Reading everything like a book, she took out a grenade, and pulled the pin, throwing it merely 3 meters before the witch. Then, expecting another attack, she quickly turned around to block a certain giant's attack. It was Sheqel, who had barely escaped Kyouko's assault, repeatedly slashing her with her 8 swords. Blocking them yet again with a shield, Homura just as swiftly side-stepped, silently counting her way the victory...

_1, 2, 3, Boom!_

The final piece pierced the elephant's feet, rolling in agony as her inertia kept her body moving, tackling Kopeck with a force of several trains. Kopeck, who didn't expect such a clever attack from a puella magi, only got herself tackled down, with her horses tumbling down like domino pieces. Mami quickly took the opportunity, accurately shooting the horse's feet.

"Every piece has been gathered," Homura muttered. "Sayaka!"

Sayaka nodded as she spun around in mid-air, insinctively calling out an attack:

_Ceathrú-ais Slais!_

A white slash radiated in front of the 4, fully cutting Kopeck's figure in half. Suddenly exploding with a white puff-like blast, the familiars which they had been facing suddenly disintegrated like sand, and the surrounding walls finally started reforming back to their original places. A bank appeared right where they stood, decorated with red-crimson bricks. An 'Open' sign appeared at its entrance gate, and chairs surrounded the blue-tiled floor, with 3 cashier statations at the front, and a not-so-noticable light-blue backdoor door.

"A closed bank, huh?" Kyouko glanced at the front desk, followed by an abrupt frown. "I guess that witch used a bankrupt bank..."

"Yeah, I wonder why..." Mami's voice died out.

"Mami-sempai?" Sayaka asked. "A-are you alright?"

A heartfelt silence took over the two.  
>A feeling they never experienced before.<br>To know... the truth, to know what you defeated...  
>To know that she was just someone who let despair take over her.<p>

"It's best if we silently pay our respects for later," Homura said.

Mami nodded quickly wiped away her eyes. "I think it would be best if we act quickly."

"Yeah," Kyouko agreed. "Sayaka...don't you agree...?"

"Y-Yeah..." Sayaka scratched her head. "That witch turned out pretty hard, huh?"

Homura blinked. What did she just heard?

"Hard...?" Mami raised her eyebrow. "I thought it was supposed to be easy..."

Sayaka sheepishly laughed, "Hahaha, I guess so..."

A sudden gust flew open the window, nearly breaking the glass doors. It was an unusual relief though that there wasn't a single person outside. Who knows what would've happened if somebody mistook them for bank robbers.

"We ahould go, quickly," Homura muttered. "Gretchen's nearly here."

A tall man, wearing a black jacket and blue pants passed the bank, wearing a bland expression. A strange circular mark surrounded by small archaic runes formed a sort-of magicial circle on his forehead. It was the Kriemhild Gretchen's mark.

A shadow passed through a small skyscraper, dissappearing in the next second as it passed by Homura and the other 3 mahou shoujos, jumping her way through countless skyscrapers as she dashed far west. The shadow seemed to have brought a strange human-shaped shilloutte.

A familiar figure took Mami's attention from the skyline's view. Mami turned her head to her right. It was Sayaka.

"Did you see something, Mami-sempai?" Sayaka got ahold of Mami's hand.

Mami turned back towards the skyscrapers. Nothing.

"N-no, not really," Mami turned to Homura. "Ready?"

And then they were gone.

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Sayaka angrily mumbled, unable to speak with a sock on her mouth. Tied between her two hands, and two feet, with a girl carrying her, they dashed through the city, passing by the city with the swift wind, as if the whole city's just a 10 minute walk to the other side. Whatever happened, it was fast, merely snatching her in the middle of a witch's barrier is damn miracle, for God's pulled her tongue upwards and outwards, trying to get the sock out of her mouth. A gasp escaped her mouth, followed by a cough, as she saw the very bottom of the skyscraper. Thousands of people, all piled up like sardines, all as small as a pin, walking towards the East Gate...it must be...

They were flying.

Sayaka nearly bit her toungue as she spit out the sock in her mouth, "Man, you're so good aren't you? W-who... are you...? Where are you taking me?"

The girl responded with a silent graze.

"Your answers will be answered..." the mysterious girl's voice displayed emptiness. "...but not you. You're for them..."

She waved her hands towards Sayaka's Soul Gem ... and removed it.

"Wait...what are... you doing...?" Sayaka's voice wavered as consciousness started fading. Her hands instinctively tried breaking free, trying to get her Soul Gem backm but it was no use. Her own strength was quickly losing its luster, and her own 5 senses started dwindling like twilight.

"Don't worry, you won't feel a thing, Sayaka-chan," the girl's voice crackled a bit. "Just rest..."

That instant, Sayaka's Soul Gem dissipated...

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"So...it is..." Hikari held her hands between her laptop. "...she's coming... I can feel it."

"This...force...what...is this...?" Hikari's companion took a step backward.

A strange energy was radiating from a mountain in the East. Call it a dark eerie force, if you may. Whatever it is or whoever it was, it had already affected much of the city. In the next instant, without a speck of control, thousands of people stopped everything they were doing, and, like mere cult followers, have started walking towards the mountain, as if it was merely a pilgrimage to the Celestial City. As if everybody suddenly saw a sight too beautiful to ignore, they all started staring at the East Gate, eager to leave the wretched place they called Destruction City, ready to die for the sake of a united paradise. Nothing can stop them now...

They knew it was merely a taste of the Kriemhild Gretchen's power...

"These people..." Mai responded. "They're most likely marked with the witch's kiss now."

"Yes," Hikari nodded, but almost suddenly, she gave a surprised look. "Is that... a child over there?"

Mai looked down, looking at the waves of people flowing out of the city to the East. In the gap of the large stream or people, a green dot in the midst of it all doesn't seem to intend to do anywhere but to the side of the road, trying to bump the other dots to pass her through but without success.

"It's that girl..." Mai muttered.

"What do you mean...?" Hikari's companion scratched her head.

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"Umm..._eto_..."

Yuma glanced around her surroundings, her head merely running around in circles as she, stuck in-between humongous crowds of people, pushed through the suffocating and one-direction wave, trying to make her way towards the side of the road. But, as if the crowd itself had a single thought, the people kept bumping repeatedly at Yuma with utmost ignorance, unwilling to let her pass through.

"Ummph!" Yuma kicked one of the people in the way in her annoyance, displaying a fit of anger and annoyance, a sour face coupled with a few outbursts of exasperation. "Meanie...!"

It did merely nothing, not even a response nor any change in the man's attention. The man, unabashed by such a small girl's actions, merely ignore the twerp, never turning his face around nor talking notice of the one that kicked her ankle. It was the sign of complete and utter ignorance.

All of a sudden, 4 girls appeared right above her, all aboard on a semi-transparent board with a shield at its center. It was Homura, Mami, Sayaka, and Kyouko, all displaying blank, emotionless faces at each other.

"Kyouko-chan?" Yuma couldn't believe her eyes. "W-W-W-What are y-you...?"

Kyouko snapped, recognizing the high-pitched child-mahou shoujo that is Yuma, looking downwards at the tyke with dilated eyes.

"...Yuma-chan?" Kyouko's face lost color, shouting in a matter never seen by both Homura and Mami. "What'r ya doing here, brat? Weren't ya supposed to be at the hotel...?"

Mami simply sighed, "Kyouko, don't tell...me..."

Kyouko blinked back at Mami, then back at Yuma. Then back at Mami, she vigorously shook her head in denial.

"N-No," Kyouko quickly realized what she meant. "What 'r ya talking about? She's an adopted child... yeah...!"

A sheepish laugh came off from her.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

**Yuma Chitose**

_Weapon:_ Staff with a Ball and cat's tail

_Specialty: _Healing Magic

_Nationality: _Japanese

_Description: _Yuma is described as the smallest and youngest girl known to the world of puellae magi. Being merely an elementary student with a height around 4'1", with short, green hair and a 'chubby' moe appearance, anyone can easily mistake her for a lost child, especially when around her permanent caretaker, Kyouko Sakura.

It all happened when, she, merely 2 weeks ago, watched a witch attack that killed her family. Kyouko, seeing this and being reminded of her own past, saved her from the witch, taking pity on Yuma to the point of training her (Yuma) under her (Kyouko's) wing. Kyouko would often teach Yuma her values, living as loners outside of known society.

Eventually, Kyouko herself discovered Yuma's even more traumatic past. She revealed that she was raised as an abused child. Her parents always argued, causing her father to never be home, while her mother physically and emotionally abused her by scarring her with cigarette burn marks on her forehead underneath her hair and telling her she's worthless. This eventually created a powerful bond between them over a common troubled past with their families.

However, one night in one of Kyouko's witch scouts, a mysterious mahou shoujo appeared to her in the dark, revealing an almost unavoidable fate laid out for Kyouko, a fate where only death would await her. So, fearing for her caretaker Kyouko's life, she took the one thing Kyouko herself said not to do: to make a contract. Thus, the youngest mahou shoujo was born. Surprisingly, it was really the case - faced between life and death, Kyouko herself would have died without Yuma's single wish: to be able to heal her.

Never knowing who the culprit was, she set her sights on Mitakihara City, a city just 4 km west from there, with the initial intent of finding out who this mysterious mahou shoujo was. However, she did not find anything other than Homura, so they went to Furukawa City, where she met Mami and Mai for a while. This also turned as futile, but, hearing from Mai of new pospects in Takunashi City, they went there, leading events up to today.

As merely a child taken out of an abusive, now dead family, she would often alternate between acts of maturity and childishness, showing delight in small things and childlike affection towards Kyouko, but also seriousness when events require it. She can be hot-headed and prone to spontaneous acts and, much like Madoka, exhibits insecurity and a strong feeling of self-worthlessness. In Yuma's case, this could be explained by her back story as an abused child and orphan. Yuma, like other magical girls, exhibits a desire to help others and contracts to help Kyouko, although, like other girls, really isn't a completely selfless desire. The thing that Yuma would fear the most would be being abandoned. Unfortunately that's what Kyouko would often do, leaving her behind some fancy hotel from dusk 'til dawn... nevertheless she would often understand, as it was clear how Kyouko cares for her in spite of everything she did, a fact Kyouko herself had accepted...

Her cat-like appearance would often make her the most moe of any puella magi, complete with white cat-like ears, a staff with a ball and cat's hat, cat's and a frilly green dress with a white center stripe, with a ribbon near her neck where her Soul Gem is 'conveniently' placed at the center and 'ittle ribbons before her ankle, adding for her cuteness factor. Using her staff, she can create Earth-shaking waves, powerful enough to mostly stun the enemy and finish the enemy off with Kyouko's attack.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

"We need to act," Homura bluntly interrupted the three. "That includes saving all unnecessary conversation for later."

Homura quickly reached her own smooth hand to Yuma's little hand, grabbing hold her. Then, without any kind of hesitation, quickly lifted her board along with Yuma, who had just held on to Homura.

"What the hell...?" Kyouko quickly reacted. " 'r ya tryin' to kill her?"

Homura never moved an inch, except to pull Yuma even further into the board, with Sayaka reaching for the girl's other hand without a word.

"I guess that's a no," Kyouko sighed, turning her head away as if no conversation ever happened.

All a sudden, a girl appeared right in front of Homura, swiftly touching her forehead.

"Woah, Mai-chan?" Sayaka's forehead felt the girl's touch.

"Blink!" Mai grinned. "To jail with you, traitor!"

She jumped to a nearby metallic platform, an emergency fire exit corridor, separated floor by floor by several retractable ladders. Surprised by Mai's sudden actions, she looked at Homura, whose eyes have suddenly changed to that of a bright purple.

"Who are you?" Homura jumped straight towards_ Sayaka_, suddenly having a pistol pointed in the so-called_ Sayaka_'s head.

Mami silently gasped.

"Oh?" a smile escaped the impostor. "I've been caught? I never expected such a development from you Akemi-san... now please tell everyone my name already..."

Homura flipped, firing a bullet at _Sayaka_'s head. _She_ quickly dodged the bullet, jumping upwards through several floors of skyscrapers.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," _Sayaka_ muttered. "Just what did that girl want? Even telling me specifics..."

Two shadows appeared right above _her_, charging for her with a light saber. She swiftly dodged the light saber, jumping towards a higher platform to the emergency fire exit stairways...

"Tsk..." _Sayaka_ smiled, suddenly turning into a shadow. "You don't know anything... do you think that ability of yours can give you infinite knowledge?"

Homura neglected the shadow's echoing words, continuing on firing at the shadow with a pistol.

"Neither do you," Homura took out a flash grenade from her shield, throwing it directly at the shadow.

"Ha! Just as expected," the shadow the shadow retreated, turning human again as she jumped into a nearby flag pole, swinging around into an open window. She jumped through several cabinets, jumping as she reached the ventilator, and quickly ran through the building as she turned into a shadow yet again. Homura quickly followed, jumping through the next window, repeatedly shooting the ventilators.

「Homura's Soul Gem: 1% Darkened」

"Tomoe-san?" Mai looked at the girl with utmost interest. A girl, looking at the pale-blue sky slowly, but surely turning gray with each second.

"I'm still a bit nauseous," Kyouko head nearly dropped, her face turning pale. "Damnit, teleporting us while falling, then teleporting us to a giant mattress warehouse in India, then here? God! What were you two thinking?"

"At least we were fine, right?" Mami smiled. Her ears were still ringing though, most especially due instantaneous changes in atmospheric pressure.

Kyouko neglected the optimistic idealist, looking far beyond the horizon. Letting out a sigh, she said, "You could've least let us stay there... I mean, that witch will be coming in a few moments, right?"

Mai cleared her throat, just before starting to speak, "Orders from Ky... Akemi were to teleport you here and wait for her. She specifically stated that we would be going to Asunaro City, in a brief search for a mahou shoujo named Kazumi. According to her, she is supposed to be her ultimate weapon against Kriemhild Gretchen."

"Kyouko-sempai?" Yuma stared at the nauseous and pale Kyouko. "Should...I...?"

Kyouko quickly got herself up, "I'm fine, I'm fine..."

"But," Yuma kept holding on to her blue short jeans. "I... I wanna help..."

Kyouko's teeth grinned, "You... you don't get it do you... This is war, Yuma. Just stay behind me, and you'll be safe. It was bad enough you made the contract."

"She wants to help, you know... you should let her be." Mami said.

"She's a kid, for crying out loud!" Kyouko replied.

"B-But..." Yuma sniffed. "I-I don't w-wanna be useless..."

Kyouko snapped, "I don't care if you become useless... you don't have to kill yourself!"

Kyouko walked towards the side of the skyscraper, pointing at the thousands of people parading towards the East Gate.

"See those people?" Kyouko shouted. "We know this is no oridinary witch! And if you want to die... well I won't let you! I've seen enough people dying for my sake or for my fault... Be a little more selfish! Do you think I rescued you from that witch for nothing?"

A sudden gust twirled around the area, followed by a large whoosing sound, coming from the West as it went to the East. Kyouko quickly noticed the sound, looking above to find a dark-green helicopter, with the words SDF on its side, flying their way to the East Gate.

"The military?" Mami looked back on the ground. "The situation's getting worse. Mai, how many minutes left?"

"8 minutes."

「Kyouko's Soul Gem: 5% Darkened」

"Hahaha! Hahahaha!" the shadow kept on dodging Homura's attacks, jumping from on cabinet to the next as Homura continuously fired on the shadow, often throwing them away in favor of several more rifles, firing them as they ran along several corridors. The shadow quickly turned right, Homura following the shadow through several corridors, until finally, they reached a dark room, filled with several planets, all lined up as they revolve around a yellow ball of light, with several small, twinkling lights swirling around it. A blue-green light stopped, while every other light continued on revolving one another, as if that single light never saw its full rotation ever again.

"You don't know anything, this world isn't your playground, Akemi-san…" the shadow whispered. "I'll be waiting with Sayaka at the Asunaro City Stadium, 2 minutes after this. See you there…"

Homura lost the shadow, as it crept into a pipe. Homura felt tears flowing out of her eyes as she looked upon the blue-green light. She knew exactly what the wish she took costed… a world where it never moves itself again. A word dropped from her mouth.

_Madoka…_

Then, she disappeared.

「Homura's Soul Gem: 4% Darkened」

_Where am I?_

_Where is this?_

The white void didn't answer, and a strange feeling entered her thought; this feeling of weightless swirling behind her in an endless repetition. Are the words "We've entered in an endless recursion of time" even enough in this case?

Is she dead?

Had she been engulfed by that pink-dyed explosion?  
>Where is Kazumi?<br>Where's Homura?  
>Where's San Francisco?<p>

Thought after thought kept on repeating itself, turning the white void into black and back to white yet again.

The white void kept on creeping in her soul, as if filling up her doubts. And then, as if for an instant, a feeling of nothingness overwhelmed him. As if falling from a building with the gravity encircling around him, she couldn't feel anything, except the pressure of her own Soul Gem, as if it was being sucked into a different dimension. Her vision wavered, shaking heavily as a familiar scene entered her.

Skyscrapers...?

Is this...

"No... way... ?" Sayaka looked at herself yet again. Her hands are the same, unfortunately, and her suit: a mahou shoujo. She took out her Soul Gem, this time to make sure everything's alright.

"Just as I thought..." Sayaka sighed, but...

"No... way..." Sayaka shivered. Could it be...? Sayaka looked around, her eyes swirling 'round. She panicked towards the edge of the roof. A heartbeat escaped him.

"This... is... Japan... Asunaro City!" Sayaka gasped. "B-but how...!"

"I see my powers still clouded your sense of reason," the girl, covered this time in a cape, with a large silver-lined witch hat covering her eyes, appeared just in front of Sayaka. "That's good. Homura, Mami, and the others in San Francisco won't suspect a thing."

"What do you mean...?" Sayaka, still stunned, looked at the girl yet again. A gust fluttered the mysterious girl's hair. Black strands of hair mixed within her long predominantly pink hair. A black cape covered most her face, with pink eyes covering her face "Is... this... the past...?"

The girl kept silent.  
>Looking from afar, her face...her eyes, as covered as it is, were locked at nothing but the sky.<p>

The girl kept silent.  
>Looking from afar, her face...her eyes, as covered as it is, were fixated at sky.<p>

"Somebody's watching us..." The girl said."I'll tell you what to do later..."

"Welcome back, Sayaka-chan..." Her low, near-silent voice shivered.

『To Be Continued...』

(Cue Magia ~TV Size)

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(Happily skip this if you like...:P )

(OP Name: Phantasm of Memories from the Touhou BGM The Genkyosko The Gods Loved)

A huge skyscraper would be displayed, there, a mysterious girl, with a silver lined witch-like hat and a covered cape would be looking at Homura, Mami, Kyouko, and Mai. Her mix of pink and black hair would escape out of her cape, and teardrop would fall from her eye.

Then Cue Puella Magi Madoka Magica logo...

(short interlude)

The next scene would be in a beach (San Francisco), with Zhuo, glancing around the teams of mahou shoujos, Mai would telport, and Zhuo, who saw his pevious blueprints trampled upon, displayed a usual fit of rage... Cue another next scenes: Kyouko and Yuma (from Oriko) leading others to hunt witches, Sayaka looking at the far horizon, Mami with Kazumi looking at the surrounding area, meeting other majou shoujos and boosting thier morale, then above the scene, Juubey displaying his signature creepy smile.

In the next scene: display all members of the Pleides Saints: Umika, Kaoru, and all the others... (They'e actually 7 members, including Kazumi)

Near the chorus: Homura would look at the west at the setting sun with hope, Mami and Kazumi with worry, Kyouko and Yuma would smirk. Then, a scene in Mitakihara City: it was Madoka, this time with dark pink palette version of herself, black eyes with pink pupils, and a yandere smile.

Chorus: Homura and the others would run through the highways of Japan, blocking various attacks from some controlled puella magi. Homua would 'teleport' out of the way, with Sayaka charging the enemy with her sword, wth Mami firing a flintlock, and Zhuo attacking using her own style with her endless pins. Then they'll see Madoka, now Kriemhild Gretchen, of which she'll attack with a dark-pallete version of her bow with a dark red-pink flame. Homura would block with her shield, Kazumi would activate her Type 2 mode, and Homura would fire various guns to her, only to be blocked...and the fight goes on...

Something like that.

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Preview:

"The feelings I have for you, I know it'll never end. Neither my heart, neither my soul. Neither whatever happens to you. I swear I'll change it all. I'll bring you back, whatever it takes…"

Next episode: "Whatever it takes..."


	10. EP 8: Whatever it takes

**Author Notes:**

I just realized something. We're at Chapter 10, and yet it's just the damn first day? Talk about madness. :P

As for word counts, it'll be shorter, possibly only 3,000 – 4,000 words now, because of my beta's request… I mean demand. XDD

Oh and another thing: search the words "Real Life Writes the Plot". Damn you Kazumi Magica! XD

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**Plot:**

Homura Akemi, the time traveller, has left a world line in which Madoka becomes Kriemhild Gretchen, the greatest witch of all time, and Kyubey leaves Earth. With the help of nearly 1000 mahou shoujos, including Kyouko, Sayaka, Mami, Kazumi, and a different and more powerful Homura, can they defeat this witch and bring about hope again to an impending apocalypse?

Computer Edit: 12/31/11  
>Un-beta'd. Be careful for grammar errors.<p>

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**Disclaimer:**

This message merely exists to (possibly) satisfy those copyrighters, so I say it anyway. I only own the idea to this fanfiction, the unofficial OCs, and ideas that are unsure or unconfirmed within Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Puella Magi Kazumi Magica. and Puella Magi Oriko Magica.

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By the way, it's best that you play Connect (TV version) when you reach the chapter title strip and Magia (TV version) when you reach the To Be Continued strip of the chapter.

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"Akemi-san?"

Homura stood beside the two, who where huffing for fresh air and forcing their bodies to the limit just to find something they knew was supposed to be gone.

"Tsk," Homura backed away from the two. "Whatever I saw, I'm pretty sure it wasn't Kyubey…"

Whatever Juubey would plan, she would stop it. No, her own powers didn't reveal his true plans. She can only assume that, if she would learn something from the loops she encountered, that would be one thing: Incubators are never to be trusted. But she knew exactly what he had in store for Kazumi.

It was the ultimate solution for Entropy.

"Could it be…" Umika said. "Juubey…?"

"Juubey?" Homura pretended not to know, turning around to the two worried mahou shoujos. Unfortunately, she herself couldn't afford to lose the cooperation of the Pleiades Saints, so not all would know some of her plans.

"Yes," Kaoru replied. "You see, Juubey, was actually… our contractor…"

Homura stopped for a minute, pretending to be at the very least surprised.

"It doesn't matter anymore, or at least not yet," Homura settled for a lie. "Even if this Incubator's alive, there would be no need for it to recruit any more. They already had fulfilled this world's quota. Besides…"

Homura looked back at the witch's barrier.

"We still need to get Mami." Homura said. "I presume you two know the way to Angel's house…"

Umika frowned for a bit, then, as if a bit disappointed at the silence, simply nodded.

"You two go ahead," Homura said. "I'll get Mami myself."

"…and Sayaka-chan…" Umika involuntarily said.

Umika's words suddenly hit a stop.

"Sayaka…?" Homura wondered.

"Wait," Kaoru paused for a bit. "…who's…Sayaka…?"

Umika's eyes widened. "Wait, what? What do you mean, 'Who's Sayaka?'?"

"What are you talking about, Umika-chan?" Kaoru smiled. "Who's this Sayaka you're talking about? An anime character?"

Homura stood for a second, thinking about everything that happened. What did happen, precisely? She had recovered, yes… and she had to hurry to Kopeck's barrier to check on Kazumi's ability, but, remembering a girl named Sayaka? She could only reply with a blank answer.

"We've been mind tricked," Homura deduced. Suddenly, her eyes glowed bright purple, looking back at the witch's barrier. That instant, Homura fell from her stance; her face, although almost emotionless, showed the slightest traces of surprise, even to herself is surprising…

"How…?" Homura muttered. "Sayaka's… gone."

(Play Connect ~TV Size~)

ロネムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

_Episode 8  
>"Whatever it takes"<em>

ロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

(Play Puella Magi Madoka Magica OST 04 - Sayaka Miki)

Kazumi's S mark in her pupils started disappearing as the ghosts continued taking a grip on her entire body. Her earrings rung a tone of melancholy, looking at the witch… looking at the lost cause, looking at the mahou shoujo she once was.

"…you…" Kazumi started crying. "…why…?"

Kazumi's 'S' mark in her eyes finally faded.

"Why… why… why…" Kazumi kept on repeating as her memories started rushing back to her again like a broken dam. "Why can't I save you…? I… I… I couldn't even save her… I couldn't even save Airi!"

Kazumi saw 3 familiars, already prepared to fire, their aims all directed at Kazumi. Index JP F further extended her arms at the magical circle before her. Her eyes blinked, a sign that the magical circle she was encircled in stopped, forming a bright white light along her chest. Far to her right, BRS F's cannon bore a light-blue mark at the center of her cannon, prepared to fire its deadly attack on the poor girl. Far to her left, Meruru F stood by, her arms extended towards Kazumi as a single point of light formed at the center of her staff she held, ready to fire on a single command.

"You don't know what you're saying."

_Schießen!_

With a single click, followed by the runic command, everything turned into disarray and everything missed Kazumi. Almost instantly, Index JP F's attack, Dragon Breath, shifted merely 3 degrees to the left. Meruru F's attack shifted too, hitting the wall right behind Kazumi, far into the open forest. BRS F's attack merely disintegrated into oblivion, hitting a certain girl's shield and deflecting it away just like that. And with a sudden millisecond, she was there, right in front of Kazumi, holding onto the last hope she could have, causing Kazumi's eyes to widen in surprise to Homura's sudden appearance, almost suddenly blushing.

"H-Homura-chan?"

As if driven by the only thing keeping her alive, Homura held on to Kazumi's shoulders without a single care for anything else, whether it was the witch, Kriemhild Gretchen, or Kopeck, it didn't matter… what matters is that Kazumi's here… willing to give her the only other chance of saving Madoka from her destiny as the embodiment of despair.

"Show me your power!" Homura nearly bowed her head, her only voice echoing throughout the open stadium. Her face was nearly pale, silently huffing, nearly gasping for air. "Did you know that without you, I could never bring Madoka back? Do you know that you're our only hope left?"

Tears silently fell to the ground.

"I don't know," Homura tried sniffing away those silent tear from her eyes. "I don't know if it's wrong to wish… just this once… for hope… but Kazumi… you can do it! Remember your time with the Pleiades Saints! Remember that you're the one and only Kazumi!"

Kazumi couldn't express anything.  
>She couldn't understand anything.<br>But she knew she must understand.

"Why...?" Kazumi backed away from Homura, her shining ruby eyes filled with tears. "Why should it be me...? Why, Homura-chan...?"

'_Because...now, you can do something she can't._'

"Eh?" Kazumi turned her head around. "That voice could only be...!"

"Juubey!"

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"Homura..."

Umika looked back at the partially open arena, surrounded by various floating skyscrapers, similar to the that scene in Mitakihara 3 days ago, only with a blue sky, a central stadium at the center, and in the middle of a once citizen-filled city now being used as the central rendezvous for hundreds, if not thousands, of mahou shoujos for their fight of the millennium. Everyone was busy, no doubt about it.

"We ourselves can't do anything about it…" Kaoru sighed, after which she jumped to an adjacent skyscraper. "Kazumi and Homura may only be the ones that can defeat that thing without fully paralyzing our preparations, but Homura's in pretty bad shape as well."

The two continued on, turning their heads as they head towards the shore. Several kilometres from the building are several mahou shoujos, seeing their partially bitter smirks from the command given to them by Homura most likely. They were sure it was Homura who stopped the other mahou shoujos from going near that witch.

And with a good reason.

"I see everyone's still busy with their work." Umika further sighed, simply looking away at the mahou shoujos that passed. "…and the fact that Sayaka's missing makes it worse."

ニエニエニ[Flashback] エニエニコ  
>"S-Sayaka…is…gone…" Homura shuddered just as he said those striking words, falling over her knees towards the ground.<p>

"W-What do you mean gone?" Umika tried to calm herself in this confusion. "How could Sayaka be gone?"

"She… isn't just gone." Homura explained. "It's as if she's been wiped out of existence. I don't know where she is. The only thing my power is telling me is that she's gone from existence."

"Oi!" Kaoru shouted. "A girl, a person, or anything doesn't just disappear out of thin air! Nor does one just disappear out of existence!"

"Don't shout the obvious, Kaoru-chan," Umika snapped, nearly smacking her with her numb hand. "There has to be an explanation for this."

"This is strikingly similar to an event 3 days ago…" Homura noticed. "Remember that time?"

Umika nodded.

"But this time," Homura noted. "She has disappeared from history. And we don't have any idea who took her… or do we… ?"

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"Homura's got it rough, huh?" Kaoru said.

"You mean us…" Umika responded by touching one of Kaoru's legs as they jumped over a large skyscraper.

"Ow…" Kaoru snapped, nearly hitting her face in the ground as her balance swayed out of control, only to be _rescued_ by Umika. "I know. I know. We're barely holding on, using magic to enchance our bodies… and with our Soul Gems nearly halved. Hey, hey, we're still alive, you know? Plus, we wouldn't wanna bring Kazumi two more witches, remember?"

"I know." Umika slowly whispered. "I'm just glad Kazumi's alright."

「Kazumi's Soul Gem: Unknown」

_Huff… huff… huff…_

With a heap of breath, Homura looked at the enemy witch, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Several runes revolved around the witch, as if preparing a spell. With the exception of Homura and Kazumi, most of the mahou shoujos in the area are very much unconscious, including Mami, and the other kidnapped mahou shoujos. As long as they're the targets, however, there isn't much to worry about them.

But that itself IS a problem.

'_This is bad… really bad…_' Juubey expressed worry as she talked to both Homura and Kazumi over telepathy. 'That is Pollon's special spell, no doubt…'

"Spells…?" Kazumi ahoge changed to that of a question mark. "You mean…"

'_Most witches have the same abilities as mahou shoujos…_' Juubey stopped for while, before continuing. _'This is just one of them._'

Pollon – the Witch of Obsession: a witch born of the very essence she had; and a witch whose hand wanted nothing but its desires, effectively turning into a witch for it. Anyone would be curious how such a magical girl could turn into such a cruel monster, but unfortunately, it happens. And now…

"Do you know how to beat this witch, Homura-chan…?" Kazumi asked, interrupting Homura's thoughts.

"No, unfortunately." Homura admitted, but kept a straight face. "I've never encountered such a witch several times stronger than Walpurgis except for Gretchen, after all…"

"But…" Homura took out her lightsaber from her shield, and started to chant. "Time won't reverse for me, anyway. I just have to try… for Madoka."

Just as she started chanting, her Soul Gem started emanating a bright purple-blue light, and a circle filled with runes covered the entire stadium, completely encompassing Pollon's magic circle. Kazumi stared both at Homura and the magic circle with utmost awe as she noticed the bright circle that lit the entire building, emitting a bright purple light, covered in runes that separated by several fancy barriers that form a sharp edged cross with a bright circle at its center.

"A-Amazing…" Kazumi couldn't stop staring.

However, Index JP F couldn't wait any longer, and started rushing towards Homura. Swinging her right hand, she summoned a flaming sword and dashed towards the sitting duck.

"No!" Kazumi's eyes started glowing again, this time in a mix of red and glittering gold. "Not. This. Time!"

As if possessed by something, she instantly blocked Index F's attack, slashing her hand with the pointed tip of her staff. However, Index JP F simply smiled in response, twisting her other hand. She quickly held to Kazumi's staff, and started firing several energy bursts from herself. However, Kazumi was stronger… a lot stronger. Kazumi didn't flinch, but rather punched Index JP F in the face with a right uppercut, throwing _it _several hundred meters in the air.

"Just a little more…" Homura murmured as she concentrated more of her magical power onto her lightsaber. Thinking back, she would have wondered herself when did she learn to chant attacks. She hated it, just like how she would hate Mami's Tiro Finale or Kyouko's Phantasma Rose. But… one thing she learned from a special mahou shoujo she met these past few days…

_'Even mahou shoujo magic has a system of its own, hehehe' _

"Kazumi!" Homura shouted. "Please say this and reach your hand to me!"

Kazumi was confused, but she quickly complied, never idling for a second as she just as quickly moved to Homura, holding her hand.

_O Tempus, Spatium extra conceptum simplicem et firmam suam rationem sine qui vivificat, et Essentia, et egredietur vas tuus manifestus. Gladius tui clypeum et scutum, gladium tuum, et essentia ejus potentiam tuam. Veni foras! Die Welt-Schwert!_

As Homura tightly gripped her lightsaber, it instantly changed from a light blue color to a metallic purple-red one. Several runes seem to float around it, indicating a massive use of magic.

"I guess I can still do this for around 100 more times…" Homura _seemed to_ sigh in relief. If Kazumi didn't help, who knew how much magic she would have used.

_'*chuckle* I couldn't use that spell even if I tried. And even if I use it, I would have enough grief to turn 2 mahou shoujos to a witch…'_

"Thanks… Mica." Homura whispered to herself.

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"Haaa-chi-" a girl sneezed. "Geez, that Homura…*sniff* needs to stop remembering me…"

Michelle Maganito sniffed her nose, and continued on her work at the border. Surrounded by several skyscrapers, she continued to chant several spells in her pink notebook. As she chanted, several sparks of light thundered down from her into the circle, merely enlarging it and covering the entire road she stood on. Everything around the barrier, rather than being affected by gravity, revolved around Michelle. Just as she finished the chant, however, a wave seemed to spread around an invisible dome, and, suddenly remembering that it had gravity, everything around her suddenly dropped to the ground . It must be a barrier she set up.

"…And why do I have to work as a blocker?" She huffed in anger. "Geez, doesn't she know I have other work to do?"

She quickly reached for her cellphone.

"Oiii, Angel. _Kailan mo ba ako tutulungan dito_?" she sighed on the phone.  
>[Translation: When are you going to help me? -_-"]<p>

"_Di ba pwede mamaya_...?" Angel responded. "_Di lang ikaw ang busy dito no_! "  
>[Translation: Can't it be later? You're not the only busy one here, you know.]<p>

"Sigh…"

She dropped her cellphone and continued on chanting...

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

**Michelle Maganito**

_Weapon:_ None

_Specialty: _Mastery of the Mahou Shoujo Magic System

_Nationality: _Filipino

_Description: _Michelle, called by Homura and most Japanese and Chinese by the name of Mica (ミカ), is the sole master of the mahou shoujo magic system. With no weapons other than her vast knowledge of the various spells and casts that any mahou shoujo can use (all of which that requires chanting and/or calling out the name of the spell), her uses are just as endless, ranging from healing to intelligence and even do some of the specialties of various mahou shoujos such as Zhao (teleportation). This resulted due to a vast yet effective wish by Kyubey: to learn real magic just like in the movies. As of today she is part of the Philippine Alliance of Magical Girls, a 9–girl group originally spread around Metro Manila with the purpose of stabilizing the population of both mahou shoujos and witches by supervising all Incubators in their area. Unlike many other mahou shoujos as well, she has a pretty healthy family, although it has been proven that 80% of all mahou shoujos in countries with close family ties such as the Philippines to have such. It could also be possible that, since poverty is a prevalent cause of despair, she herself has experienced much despair just when she became a mahou shoujo - an implication that she is poor.

Just like many (but not all) Filipinos, she has black-brown, long hair, brown eyes, but has a peach hairband that gives her away from other mahou shoujos, although throughout her stay in San Francisco this has led to some unusual depictions. As a mahou shoujo, she wears a pink jacket, dark-pink shorts, dark gloves, and a special light pink leather-skinned notebook that contains a vast glossary of spells for use. Unfortunately, none of these spells are specialized for her, so she keeps a separate notebook for that instead (One would be surprised what kinds of spells she use). When serious, she removes her hairband… and believe me, no one wants her mad. No one. Even still, she has a pretty unstable, a bit cranky, yet cute, yet annoying, yet witty personality that no mere stranger may understand, of which people (including herself) would rather tolerate, although most people refer to her as someone quite quick to anger yet quick to forgive as well.

Currently, her parents are trapped in Kriemhild Gretchen's barrier, and, 3 days before, during the massive retreat of mahou shoujos in Southeast Asia, her brother committed suicide.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

"Hey Kaoru," Umika jumped another block or so, before jumping to the open streets. "Are you fine? We're near there, you know…"

"Hehehe…" Kaoru looked pale. "We're near there, right? Angel's place?"

"Did I do that much…?" Umika sighed. "Fine. Fine."

Umika and Kaoru stopped. Looking at Kaoru's legs, it was surprisingly swollen.

"Swollen… and still not healed?" Kaoru continued to inspect. "Wait, are you limiting your magic input?"

"Hehe…I'm caught."

"Don't limit it too much, _baka_."

"We still have such a limited Grief Gem supply, after all…" Umika responded. "You know we can't afford it."

"Oiii!" a voice echoed somewhere right. "Bilis, Quickly, Hayaku, Kuai , Geez, in just how many languages do I have to make you hurry…!"

"Oh," Umika looked to the right, and stared at the girl shouting towards them, surrounded by a large magical circle. "It's Mica-chan."

"HEEEEYYY!" Kaoru shouted over, only…

_OWWW!_  
>Almost suddenly, Kaoru met Umika's head punch.<p>

"Instead of just standing around, we should just get there already…!" Umika sighed.

"HEEY!" Michelle shouted back, who seems to be stomping her feet back and forth. "_PUTA_, DON'T CALL ME MICA!"  
>[Puta is a shortcut for putang ina, which is the equivalent of f*** in Filipino]<p>

「Michelle's Soul Gem: 82% Darkened」

"That's… amazing..." Kazumi still continued to wonder at Homura's sword. Just what did she use for it, perhaps? Mahou?

"A girl once told me…" Homura responded to her thoughts. "That the magic of mahou shoujo by itself is a chaotic force… but with a few chants, it's a force to be reckoned with."

"Let's finish this." Kazumi turned her eyes to Pollon, who seemed to have completed her spell. With a suddenly pulse of energy, everything started moving. Shattered pieces started arranging themselves back together. The ground, which was absolutely dusty due to the debris, was being brushed by several wind gusts, clearing it of any debris. The debris themselves started swirling themselves around the stadium, until they saw the place they were supposed to be, where they remained, fusing themselves with their old neighbours. Pollon's cloak started transforming from a black one to a white one. The black tablet that she previously held in her hand dissolved into nothingness.

_'Be careful, Kazumi_.' Juubey warned. '_It's Pollon's true form._'

"Heeeheeeheee…." A voice emanated from the cloak. "Do you think I'll give up that easily…?"

Kazumi gasped, but Homura stayed silent. A girl's shadow appeared from the cloak's void, walking closer as she stepped out of the endless void into the concrete ground.

"Are you…" Homura was interrupted as she asked.

"Heeheehee… Yes I am." The girl seemed to spoke, but it seems as though the voice actually came from the cloak behind her. "I am Pollon's true form, and this was form of the magical girl I once was. You see, it was boring taking on that icky form… and to see I'm terribly, terribly bored already…"

It was a snow white girl that appeared to Homura and Kazumi. She wore a thick jacket with short sleeves, and had a silk-looking skirt. However, her pupils bore a pale, snowy white pit that stared into emptiness. Her button, which was supposed to be a diamond snowflake-looking gem, was instead a black, round gem. Her snow white, short hair flickered along the weak, yet snow cold wind.

'_Are you ready…?_' Juubey said. '_It'll be just as planned._'

"Yes," Kazumi nodded. "This time, I'll do it."

_I'll save this girl. For sure._

『To Be Continued...』

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**Author Notes:**

To those who were watching this story, I just wanna say sorry. Don't worry though, I'll explain it all in the omake I'll make after this story's over. Until then, please be assured that starting this time, I will finally be able to continue my writing of this story (or at least, until another chapter in Kazumi ruins all my hard work of putting the puzzle pieces back together with inconsistency.)

As for the preview, get ready to shat bricks. -_- Oh, and please continue on speculating (if you are actually). This fanfic was made for it. :P

Speaking of questions though: (Be free to answer them.)

1. Why did Kyubey allow a girl like Homura to become a magical girl when mere logic of the quota defies it?  
>2. Why the 3-day gap? Is it just a Flashback Effect, or is there something behind the line going on here?<br>3. Who is the mysterious girl in the other part of the story? Who is she working for?  
>4. Who is Juubey working for? What is his motive?<br>5. What is Kazumi's surname?  
>6. What is Homura's plan?<p>

What happened to Oriko and Kirika? The mere fact that Yuma is this story must mean that Oriko is still alive and is a magical girl, which may imply that Kirika is still living.

All of those, and more will be answered in the next 10 chapters, so please stay tuned! :D And here is the preview for the next chapter. Note that it is Kazumi speaking here.

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

_Preview:_

"Would you understand when you don't know what I've been through? Would you understand whenever I stand there and see it happen all over again, right before my eyes?"

Next episode: "You will never understand."


	11. EP 9: You'll never understand

**Author Notes:**

Time to strike off the useless stuff. Not the Plot though. :P (It will change without much notice) I think I made myself clear already by doing that much redundancy in 10 chapters :D

And wow, I really put an effort to Hikari's backstory. XD

Speaking of other stuff… I seriously need to get OpenOffice or LibreOffice. Sometimes, Microsoft Office 2010 just sucks… -_-

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**Plot:**

Homura Akemi, the time traveler, has left a world line in which Madoka becomes Kriemhild Gretchen, the greatest witch of all time, and Kyubey leaves Earth. With the help of nearly 1000 mahou shoujos, including Kyouko, Sayaka, Mami, Kazumi, and a different and more powerful Homura, can they defeat this witch and bring about hope again from an impending apocalypse?

Computer Edit: 01/15/12

ニエニエニエニエニエニ

"Tsk."

Homura opened the door ahead of her, as she ran and ran, trying to pursue the shadow she was trying to follow. However…

"A wide field of skyscrapers…" Homura muttered. "What a pathetic way to escape."

She looked at the scene in front of her. She knew there was no time. She knew it was just a matter of time before Gretchen's barrier could reach this town, and she could only bet her chance on that single girl.

Kazumi.

The only girl to be a spare to have her own sentience. No, Homura couldn't call her a spare. She wasn't. She was special. She was a magical girl born of sacrilege, a magical girl born out of nothing but a wish: a magical girl whose mere existence already exceeded the limits of mahou shoujo. Homura would wish she could tell all of this to the others, but no. It isn't the time yet.

Almost suddenly, a girl appeared right in front of her. It was Mai.

"I know…" Homura muttered. "We need to go."

Homura held Mai's hand, disappearing out of thin air.

_Sayonara, Takanashi City._

(Play Connect ~TV Size~)

ロネムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

_Episode 9  
>"You'll never understand,"<em>

ロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

"It won't be long before this plan is over." The mysterious girl kept a straight face.

"Yes," Sayaka sighed. "Why does it have to come to this?"

Far in the Asunaro City Stadium, in the farthest part of the audience seating near the roof of the stadium, are Sayaka and the mysterious girl. Unlike before though, they were sipping tea, using teapots whose designs are quite unusual, being it had several Western-looking designs of dragons on it.

"Remember your 3 days ago?" the girl said as she sipped tea. "Just do it like that, ok?"

"Yeah," Sayaka nodded in agreement. "But, how do you know how things will turn out like this so much?"

The girl smiled for a bit, but suddenly changed expression to that of a bitter frown.

"This is what Homura-chan told me to do…" the girl's voice died out. "Anyway, come. Let's repeat that stupid incident, shall we?"

"You say stupid when-" Just before Sayaka continued, the girl's hand covered Sayaka's mouth.

"Shush, the target's here." The girl whispered.

A girl came through the stadium, looking around to see if anyone has come. With a twitch of a finger, several girls came by to her, this time with S marks on their faces. She could have nearly recognized the girls, if not for the cloaks. She, however, clearly remembered the target that mysterious girl was talking about. Yes… the one who was supposedly the kidnapper of it all…

"Yes, I remember her…" Sayaka couldn't forget that face. "The Original Creator."

"Yes, that girl whose real name is Kazumi…" The girl's face turned serious. "Yes, Kazumi Sakura, the long lost sister of Kyouko Sakura, the real girl who faked her own death and changed her entire personality, and the real creator of the Evil Nuts."

Sayaka couldn't believe her eyes. Seriously? Why does she have the same name as that girl? She remembered that girl whom Mami found. Were they the same? But how could it be? She stared back at Kazumi. Yes, as she knew, she had a mix of pink and black hair, unlike the girl Mami called Kazumi. But she did notice her magical costume though… it was essentially the same!

"W-what you do mean… she's Kyouko's little sister?" Sayaka responded. "And who is the Kazumi Mami found on San Francisco then?"

"Hmph," the girl's expression was as pale as ever. "Homura couldn't tell it to everyone, but she knows every little detail..."

"Once upon a time…" she started narrating, taking the last sip of her teacup. "There was a girl who wished for everyone to listen to her father. Without a doubt, it did work, only she couldn't anticipate what would have happened if her father found out. When he did, he didn't just felt disgusted at her daughter, he was disgusted how she had supported her family on a lie. He couldn't handle it. Her sister couldn't handle the situation they were in. So this little sister wished with Kyubey for one thing: to fake her death."

"It wasn't really what she REALLY wished for, isn't it?" Sayaka doubted the girl's narration.

"No, it was right." The girl assured. "Only, that wish had one implication. She could break any rule… including breaking the rules of Incubators. She faked her death, faked her identity, and even faked her appearance altogether, but the very minute she found out about the fate of mahou shoujos, she felt disgusted at Kyubey. She couldn't take it in that all mahou shoujos would eventually turn into witches… so she broke Kyubey. Or at least, a copy of it. She made a special Incubator that could lie, could absorb grief, could take a side, and could actually have emotions, and used it to literally spy on the Incubators. She caught every Grief Seed she could find, and turned it into Evil Nuts, which, rather than take on a form, take on a human or mahou shoujo, and rather than absorb grief, feed on grief (meaning mahou shoujos who consumed them never accumulate grief), to which she thought was the only way to cheat the Puella Magi System. Then, she made copies of herself. Lots and lots of them, even to the point of giving them fake memories to hide her existence, using Evil Nuts to test their potentiality to become what she vision was the perfect mahou shoujo. That is the real Kazumi. The Kazumi you and Mami found… it was her perfect copy: Asunaro City's Kazumi."

"So she really is evil, isn't she?"

"I wouldn't say it like that. It's like saying that Oriko's evil. She too is looking for a way to cheat the system, just like Homura. You can say that her greatest work is Asunaro's Kazumi. Unlike many others, she developed sentience, and she couldn't just detect Evil Nuts, she could absorb them… without fully turning into a witch herself."

"You mean…"

"Yes, most of the mahou shoujos she tested turned into 'pseudo-witches' "

"That's…terrible." Sayaka couldn't say anything, however, to contradict her point. She was right. Kazumi wasn't really all that evil. But…

"You'll never understand." the girl muttered. "We're all desperate to change our destiny...aren't we?"

"If Asunaro's Kazumi could absorb grief… then why did she-?" Sayaka tried asking, only to be interruped instead by a chant coming out of the girl's mouth.

"Sigh," for some reason, Sayaka already gave up trying to ask about that girl Homura found...

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"We have a situation," Homura declared. Here in the unusually deserted Asunaro City Amusement Center, there was the somewhat eccentric Mai, Mami, Sayaka, Kyouko, Yuma, Hikari, and her companion, all gathered with one purpose in mind, to escape Japan to the rendezvous at San Francisco, and to get a special girl – Homura's so-called trump card...

"So, we have around 5 minutes to get the help of the Pleiades Saints and retrieve Sayaka?" Mami reviewed the situation with everyone. "Seems a bit impossible to me."

"No," Homura said. "We have around 6 -10, actually. It seems as though the the witch's spread has decreased exponentially, although I presume it won't last that long."

"Anddd…" Hikari interrupted. "You know this because…?"

"I planted miniature bombs in areas as I go, which was designed to create a miniature explosion and send a signal when it moves." Homura added, showing a pin-sized signal. "I used it to detect whenever the dimension warps and matter moves by itself. The CIA has some sneaky bombs these days, you know."

"Thinking ahead, huh?" Kyouko took a Pocky from her mouth. "And this trump card you're tellin' me?"

"We would lose all hope if we don't have enough firepower on our hands…" Homura admitted. "Even I don't have the power to approach Gretchen as we speak. I have lots of magic, but unless I can use it as well, it's as useless as it is."

"So, let me guess…" Kyouko continued. "One team is to go for the Pleiades Saints and the other to Sayaka."

"Correct." Homura said. "I'm not that used to working together too well, but it just has to happen. I, Mami, and Mai will go the Pleadies Saints' residences and retrieve them, while all of you go to the designated place at the Asunaro City Stadium. We will be there shortly, as long as Mai's around anyway."

"Haiii, haiii!" Mai yawned. "You know the place? You know we can just do everything in a flash."

"Let's…" Yuma interrupted. "…just go."

As Homura and Mami held on to Mai-chan, their images started wavering until they completely disappeared... so much for the other's expectations.

"Let's just go to that stadium and get on with it." The other said.

"Imma beat the hell out of that girl for even messing with us…" Kyouko's flames of passion seemed to have ignited. "Let's go! Chop! Chop!"

"_Flames of passion_ huh?" Yuma giggled. "She's the awesome Kyouko-sempai for a reason!"

"Oiii! Oii!" Kyouko blushed. "Don't 'ya dare call your sempai like that!"

"Come on now..." Hikari smiled. "Save the smooch for later."

"6 minutes at the least, hehehe…" the girl beside Hikari muttered.

"Hey," Yuma suddenly asked the girl just next to her. "You're Hikari-chan right?"

Hikari, with a bit of a surprised look, responded, "Yes, Yuma-chan…"

"Then," Yuma looked back to her friend. "Your name is…?"

The girl besides Hikari stumbled. It was quite unusual to see, but, to Hikari, she wasn't surprised. Yuma wondered herself, though.

"Don't be that surprised," Hikari stared at the girl beside her. "So yeah, she's called, Minasaki Hir-"

Hikari looked back at Minasaki Hiroshima. She stared at the partially pale face of Minasaki and sighed.

"Errm…just call her Minna-chan…" Hikari said.

"Y-Yeah…" Minna agreed. "Just call me Minna-chan, 'k?"

The five mahou shoujos continued on, finally starting to run as they quickly exit the amusement park, making a run for it to the stadium, which was 3 kilometers from there.

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

"It's almost time." The mysterious girl beside Sayaka jumped from the passenger's area to the stadium, almost teleporting to the backstage balcony. "I'll prepare the stadium. It's time I get this show going."

"Show?"

"I told you, right?" the girl smiled. "That we're going to repeat that event? Everything should stay as they were in the past, else… "

The girl's voice stayed low.

"Everyone… no… the world would have sacrificed everything in vain… that day."

「The mysterious girl's Soul Gem: Unknown」

"Are we here?" Mami asked.

Homura and Mai nodded.

A mansion befell upon the gang. It was rather large, but otherwise typical of your regular mansion. It had a rather large gate with wide space and a garden in front, although it wasn't as good as Oriko's mansion was which had a rose garden labyrinth and all. It also had several windows evenly spaced in the mansion at the front, around 12 windows, including the ones at the attic. With a click of a finger, the three mahou shoujos quickly encompassed the gate, and made their way to the door.

"We should have knocked instead…" Mami said. "Fine, I'll do it."

Mami knocked on the door.  
>No response.<p>

"Eh," Mami tried knocking again.  
>Again no response.<p>

"They're not here," Homura deduced, readying her lightsaber. "Something must have happened…"

Almost instantly, the doors sliced open.

"Let's go," Homura held the two mahou shoujos' hands rather tightly, and activated her shield _yet again_. With the click of the clock, they quickly scout around the area, looking for the magical girls that were called Pleiades Saints.

"They're obviously not here." Mami concluded, based on the scattered objects around the kitchen, some of the bedrooms, and some of the hallways. "It seems they had a visitor before them."

"Wow," Mai commented. "That visitor sure knows to make a ruckus…"

Homura, however, kept quiet for a while.

"Let's go to the stadium." Homura said. "They're there…"

Homura knew what she was to go up against her the moment she saw those figures. Her… that girl her power mentioned.

"It was the culprit who did it," Homura explained. "It may be possible… that our trump card puella magi already turned into a witch…"

Mami took a step back. The concept of magical girls turning into witches never had occurred to her before. In fact, on the countless months… no maybe 3… or 4 years she had been a magical girl, never had she heard just an heretic statement. But… if it just is the reality of being a magical girl, wouldn't it be better to just die instead? But… but… if they all died… who would save the world from Kriemhild Gretchen? Yes, she may turn into a witch someday… but not today, not until Kriemhild Gretchen goes to the ground for good.

"T-turned into a witch…" Mami twitched. "I still couldn't accept it that much after all…"

"…so then," Mai asked. "What will happen next?"

Homura breathed in.

"If the plan does work," Homura said, breathing out. "She will turn back into a mahou shoujo."

"…Eh?" Mami looked surprised. "Witches can turn to magical girls?"

"…normally they don't," Mai's voice suddenly changed to a serious one. "I, for one, have never seen witches going back to magical girls, of all the 5 years I've been one."

"Yes," Homura nodded. "Unlike any other puella magi, she may be the only girl with the ability of absorbing her own grief into her power. I'm not going to go into details here, but this trump card I'm talking about has a special ability to change reality. In other words… sacrilege… or we should say… destruction."

Homura picked up a bent-looking Grief Seed. Rather than having a shape at the top, it had a crooked end to it. The inside of it too was on a different shape: it looked like a vehicle mashed it up repeatedly, only to be reshaped back to its bent shape.

"This is… an Evil Nut!" Homura looked around. Something was definitely wrong, very wrong. First off, there doesn't seem to be any forced entry. Second, the fact that it was only messy in the living room and kitchen may only mean one thing: Either someone who knew them was the one who attacked them, or there was no such visitor, and that only someone from the Pleiades Saints could have done something like this in such a small area without causing damage to other areas…

"An evil wha…?" Mami spotted another one on the sofa, and tried to reach out to it.

"No," Homura quickly got ahold of the Nu. "These Evil Nuts are dangerous, powerful enough to turn a normal human into a witch… or a magical girl into possession."

"Don't tell me…" Mai stared at the bent grief seed that was called an Evil Nut.

"Yes," Homura said. "Whoever thrashed this place was possessed by this Evil Nut."

Homura turned her back on the scene.

"Mai-chan," Homura ordered, her eyes brightly shining purple. "Let's go to the Stadium and meet the master of it all…"

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"That wasn't that slow was it?"

In a blink of an eye, five people found themselves looking at the center of a large stadium, with a retractable roof to it that revealed the grey, cloudy sky. The seats, unusually empty with no people looking around or people even cleaning the place, would seem to stare around its enticingly bright center, focused by all of the stages' spolights focused around it. In the center of it all, a girl looked out into the open seats with red-purple, sympathetic eyes. She suddenly stood up, however, and looked straight right to them, and as her hair, which was a mix of pink-purple and black color, fluttered, she simply smiled, as if to welcome a guest into her home.

"Ah," the girl said, although with her even with her soft voice, anyone in the stadium could hear her. "Welcome, friends of the girl named Homura… and Kyouko."

As Yuma gazed upon the scenery, she noticed a girl next to her in the girl's round, yet elegant table. It was Sayaka, for some reason unable to escape, in spite of not having any cuffs. She sat very impatiently at the table, for some reason partly bored, yet partly angry at the girl who took her. She also spotted a figure just into her right by one of the backdoors to the stadium, a shadow without a figure projecting it. It… or she was probably the one who set Sayaka, Homura, Mami, and Kyouko up. If they are to recover Sayaka, they should probably watch out for her too. And there's the unusual patches of land, as if they're preparing to be opened – they would have to watch out for them too. Who knows what would she do, after all…

"Be careful," Kyouko warned. "She may be dangerous…"

"Alright…" Hikari held the group's hands… and as she transformed into her mahou shoujo dress, the gang instantly appearing at the center of the arena.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

**Hikari Kurayami**

_Weapon:_ Latern

_Specialty: _Search & Guide

_Nationality: _Japanese-Chinese

_Description: _Hikari is one of the few mods in Japan's branch of Magical Girl Exchange, of which not many mahou shoujos would know, due to its strict code that only constantly travelling mahou shoujos (or veteran mahou shoujos) can know its existence. True to her name, Hikari is the mahou shoujo responsible for guiding the selected mahou shoujos into contact with the Magical Girl Exchange, often through modern telecommunications or by a special flash only she can emit that can pass through any wall (even through the Earth's core). Consequently due to her wish, she can send a message to any mahou shoujo whatever the message is or wherever the mahou shoujo is mostly through cellphone or the internet, however, she only uses it on rare occasions (and mostly because it is annoying to the receiving end). Consequently, due to her powers as well, she is presently the Telecommunications Head of the MGE. On another note, she is also the very few ones whom Juubey recruited, although she keeps it as a secret. (The very existence of Juubey is being kept secret to others, after all.) On a small note, she can also find any lost item or object, and subsequently retrieve it, although she cannot _magically_ retrieve it herself. As with her weapon, her latern (which really looks like the ones being used in the mountains) has the ability to spam fire (even one that she herself can control) to wherever its owner wants to fire. It can also be used to blind the opponent quite nicely too.

Her history dates back 3 years ago, as she visited Asunaro City on a vacation from the usual busy scenes of Tokyo. It was, however, at a time when there were few mahou shoujos at the area and no Pleiades Saints. However, her little sister was lost during a commotion at an Amusement Center. As she searched for her sister, however, she got lost in a witch's barrier, a maze full of warped watches, reversing clocks, and a central figure at the center, who looked like a silhouette of a girl with a bow. That was when Juubey came in, saying her sister is in this maze and the only way to find her is to make a wish and become a mahou shoujo. Because Hikari at the time was a huge fan of plots of heroes and becoming one herself, she quickly made her wish: to be able to find her sister. As she searched for her sister, however, she quickly made an encounter with Mai, who was, at the time, a new mahou shoujo too. Ever since that day, they became quite the distant friends. However, things were looking bad on both sides of their lives. Mai ran away from her family, while Hikari's family started being extremely strict about everything she did, resulting from her sister being lost in the first place. Her sister couldn't appreciate the help she did to her, and even pushed her away as much as possible. In merely a year, she herself found lost in a myriad of burdens, often times failing to catch witches because of this dilemma. So she took the third option: she searched for someone who she could help her… however, when that someone replied to her calling, it resulted in one thing: she found herself not being able to be recognized by her family. (No one knows who did it.) Lost to her own devices, she could only seek out her only friend, Mai, who was at the time, traumatized by her own tragedy… It didn't take long, however, before they found themselves into the MGE, who took them only because it was impossible to hide themselves someone like her, but, as in their code, they had to learn the truth about mahou shoujos… that they too were _almost_ destined to become the ones they swore to destroy, something she is still bitter inside about until now. It was also the time when she started calling Mai The Silencer, mainly because of her quite successful assaults.

She wears a neon yellow suit patched with several flower designed with an exposed back and strings lined around both her back and her front center. She also, as with many Japanese mahou shoujos, wear a mini-skirt that's pretty much a mix of white and pale yellow, and dark yellow armbands, well suited against her fair face, if not for her light-red elliptic-sided glasses, but it does suit her beige-colored long hair. She also has quite a healthy bust size (comparable to Mami), which pretty much separates her from Mai (she is flat-chested). When dealing with mahou shoujos she do not know, she stays monotonous and as flat voiced as she can, much like a telephone operator only seemingly emotionless. However, when talking to someone she knows, her voice changes to that of a bit cheery, yet a bit empty, yet high-pitched voice. Without a doubt, she always tries reminding herself to live to those who still believe in hope, even if she herself, has little: this is, in fact, her resolve, something many mahou shoujos simply couldn't comprehend at that time. This is most likely one of the main reasons she had persevered until now.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

"Hikari Kurayami…" the girl's eyes locked into hers. "Hmmm… how nostalgic."

"Oii…" Kyouko shouted. "Don't be so damn freakishly creepy…"

Kyouko took a step forward, only to be zapped by the ground. It wasn't just a zap, however, it was something akin to a 1000 volt ground. How is this possible?

"Oii…" the girl took a sip of her English tea. "Don't be mad, just enjoy the spotlight. I'm still waiting for her you know."

"EH?" Yuma shrieked with surprise, swiftly examining what seems to be a landmine. "W-w-why is the area full of tiny wires?"

It was inevitable that they wouldn't notice it. Merely centimeters from where they're standing, is an entire stadium full of small green wires. Most of the wires were either gnawed or skinned, with small electrical sparks jumping in between, but they couldn't be seen as the grass itself covered, if not camouflaged it. It was the perfect place to kill somebody alive and crispy.

「Kazumi Sakura's Soul Gem: 60% Darkened」

"It's getting boring…"

Not that it mattered, but it's been only 10 seconds of silence. The girl took off of her seat, and casually walked towards the cautious 4 mahou shoujos.

"Say, Hikari." The girl started. "Which do you prefer… coffee, or tea?"

Sayaka stayed silent.

"Errmm…" Hikari took a few seconds to think about it. "Why do I have to answer anyway?"

"'cus I want you to," the girl's eyes glowed a bright pale red. "But anyway, it's not like it matters, right, Sayaka-chan?"

Sayaka couldn't find the words to say anything but…

"Well," Sayaka took her words as natural as she remembered. "It's not as if it's going to determine life and death, eh?"

"Wrong," the girl raised her hand. "You don't understand… The Europeans mostly consumed tea and/or coffee during the old times, yes? And… even so, this... tea we mentioned… has already contributed so much to Britain's empire… so much death and suffering… for tea… while coffee… well let's just say that it's the Spaniards who wanted that much coffee they'd be willing to sap 3 countries out of it, yes?"

"So," the girl fired a fiery stare at Yuma. "What shall it be… Coffee or Tea?"

"I'd choose Sayaka,thank you." A shot directly above the stadium fired directly at the control switch, which was just before the back door where the creepy shadow lurked.

The girl looked directly above, smiling as if seen a unique creation.

"Welcome, Homura Akemi!" the girl made a grimacing smile, as she finally met the star of the stage. "To my climax stage!"

『To Be Continued...』

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

Preview:

"What is the purpose of life? Is it to fulfil it to somebody? Is it to fulfil it to the world? Is it merely to please the one who made us the way we are? Or is it just a void we merely create in nothing for our own satisfaction?"

Next episode: "I'll find my purpose."


	12. EP 10: I'll find my purpose

Silence covered the open wide arena, only to be occasionally broken by the cold wind. Contrary to any supposed weather or season, the cold wind merely brought icy chills towards «death» the duo, their legs slowly shivering.

Whether it was really the cold, or Pollon, they couldn't tell.

"Are you ready?"

"… I guess so."

Kazumi held on to her shaking, left hand, and slowly walked towards the manacing creature. The witch figure seemed to roar in response to this bold move, but made no attempt to attack.

"Wisheokwmed hakwokemew areh teesaf askwas razdkez es y ouve undo dodida owaslzsl iaq n guud!"

The magical girl figure shouted in an indescribable language. What happened to her? Did her language just warped in to become inexplicably encrypted? Was her humanity being warped again?

"Don't worry…"

Kazumi's voice, as she boldly walked closer and closer to Polon, was silenced by the cold skyscraper wind.

"…This time I'll save you for sure."

(Play Connect ~TV Size~)

ロネムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

_Episode 10  
>"I'll find my purpose."<em>

ロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

"…What a mess… It's those times I wonder if I did the right choice…"

Looking apart from the dense forest to the wide city of San Francisco, a girl watched from a distance. As the girl spotted Homura from such a distance, her expression changed to that from slight surprise to a slow delight.

"Homura… even I can't tell anymore what will happen next."

With an inexpressible mix of delight and excitement, she jumped from the cliff she was standing on. While it was a bit high (around 400 meters), it didn't matter, as the grass at her landing point grew to an impossibly enormous amount, as if to cushion her fall.

"My mistress, the stage is set for your return."

A shadow, not far from her, appeared around the right, covered by several brushes. However, it didn't took a second before the shadow dissipated from her sight.

"Thank you…"

The girl dashed towards the forsaken, yet populated city as crimson red roses quickly grew along her footsteps.

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

Kazumi slowly walked towards the witch. As she carefully approached the dangerous witch, she breathed in and out, mostly due to the tense situation this has become.

"I'm…you're…" Kazumi's hand was shaking, only to stop after holding his staff very tightly. "I'm… going to save you…!"

A magical bullet grazed through Kazumi's cheeks, resounding a lightning-like echo throughout the open-air stadium.

"Did she…?"

"It seems so." Homura pointed her lightsaber towards the ground, just before breaking towards a run to the unsuspecting enemy. "Here's our chance."

Kazumi immediately spotted Homura at one of the unsuspecting familiars. Quickly waving her lightsaber at speeds no human eye can see, she quickly disposed of the one of the 5 remaining familiar which had been suspiciously frozen for so long.

"This is suspicious."

Homura's figure disappeared, only to show up to the next familiar. As suspected, it was also frozen. While it wouldn't take long for her to dispose of all of Pollon's familiar, it seems a little bit too suspicious for the witch not to move at all. There was no warning, nor a sign, of any action from the witch itself. She continued on disposing of the remaining familiars.

Just how fast has Homura gotten? Was it the effect of that special spell she recited? It was no joke that reciting that single spell by herself would have been dangerous, but, in the sight of someone inexperienced with such a kind of magic like Kazumi, it does have its advantages: she quickly glanced her heightened senses, and quickly dodged an incoming ice knife: Has Pollon made its move? Homura's eyes seemed to flicker in a strange purple light as she dashed towards the icy-white haired girl without any regard neither to her previous status nor to the witch in front of her. Wildly swinging her lightsaber, which seemed to be as light as a feather, Homura sliced Pollon's human form midway, only to stop at "her heart" – a black, round gem proven to be the witch's Grief Seed.

"Was there any effect?"

Kazumi was slowly panicking.  
>Not for Homura.<br>But for Pollon.

"No…" Homura deduced. "I just merely tried to weaken her. I'm very sure it didn't work, however."

The girl's scars, which look more like see-through-her-body cuts, slowly closed itself in ice as it slowly assimilated itself into the girl's body.

'Heeeheeeheee…' the girl's consciousness seemed to have returned. 'The preparations are… complete. I… want… more…!'

A huge magical circle engulfed the whole stadium, almost suddenly painting sky in an aqua blue tint. The girl raised her hands, and summoned innumerable numbers of ice shards aimed at the duo.

'Heeeaahahahahahahahaaaa!'

Lowering her hands, the ice shards, suspended in air, aimed at both Homura and Kazumi in a speed comparable to sniper bullets. As the bullets tried hitting them, only to hit the ground, its surrounding area froze in a diamond-esque ice.

Those bullets weren't aimed to kill. They were aimed to freeze.

"Homura-chan!"

Kazumi twisted her wrists and spun her staff to form a blindly fast spiral that deflected the ice bullets. This did not come with repercussions, however, as the staff became ever more increasingly cold to touch, come to a point where pain could be felt as she continued to deflect the bullets, something akin to frostbite. She couldn't simply stay like this forever.

Homura, however, was taking it the other way. In response to the girl's relentless attack, she merely exchanged positions, one after the other, as she traversed the icy rain as if it was a mirage. After exchanging glances with Kazumi, she threw a knife (of some sort) and threw it towards her. Kazumi, almost completely by instinct, caught it.

A click signified the start of Homura's time-stopping abiity. Almost instantly, everything was put to a stop. Except forHomura and Kazumi, a monotonous, gloomy grey dyed everything, along with their movements.

"Wha-?" Kazumi froze (no pun intended) at this suddenly underwhelming sight.

"I merely wanted to use this as a last resort," Homura sighed. She knew that this action was costly. There were no assurances. There were no guarantees. Only risk would overtake them if she ever used one of her other trump cards. However, she herself was determined. She reached onto the back of her shield…

A strange device appeared on it. It looked like a pipe bomb, but it looked vastly different. It took off an aura unbeknownst to anything she ever saw, as it seemed to spew off an aura of despair.

"When we first met the eccentric inventor named Zhao," Homura explained. "She made this dangerous bomb…"

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

"Stand aside!"

A distinct voice tore through the countless voices murmuring, whispering, and talking over the small, crowded glass-covered building that turned out to be the Magical Medic Center. Within these busy hallways, several mahou shoujos went and go, within them a unpredictable mix of emotions, ranging from astonishment to the incoming mahou shoujos, to their zealous desires to avenge their fallen comrades. Within this confined space, a few several mahou shoujos scour around their bedridden patients, applying magic to their obviously wounded scars, as well as bringing an adequate amount of Grief Seeds enough to supply armies of magical girls for a month. Yet the patients never stop coming in and out. These medics understand one thing: most of these mahou shoujos were either mentally traumatized victims whose Soul Gems have gotten nearly dark, or magical girls who has returned from the endless expedition throughout the entire nation, saved from either being wiped out by the suddenly absurdly powerful witches, or rouge mahou shoujos, or were just performing a medical checkup.

"…What's with these people?" Kaoru wailed. "Don't they know that these Grief Seeds are limited?"

"Perhaps not." A girl came to assist the two newcomers... and her friend. "With the recent completion of Zhao's crazy invention, it seems that Grief Seeds are now recyclable."

"Eh?" Umika blinked. "… then Homura's plan?"

"We're almost there… allllmost."

The girl displayed a caring, heavenly smile unique to her, so unique it was almost infectious. However, there was a certain someone impervious this, probably the only one in the entire world.

"Geez, Angel." As usual, the hefty, partially angry, partially relieved Mica. "Don't get cocky with these ungrateful girls."

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

**Angelica Jeronimo**

_Weapon  
><em>Various, but often a Bow

_Specialty  
><em>Heal and Revive

_Nationality  
><em>Filipino

_Description  
><em>Part of the Philippine Alliance of Magical Girls, and a close friend of Mica, Angelica, the gentle-headed long black haired archer, is the master of healing. You can summarize her existence in one sentence: "It is better to die and let her live, than to live and let her die." Her game-breaking ability allows her to, not just heal anyone even from the most cruel of wounds or even physical death, but also actually recover the Soul Gem basically anyone within 500 meters after it has been practically destroyed. However, this mechanic-defying ability had a two-fold disadvantage. First, she must do so within a minute after her Soul Gem was shattered, moreover Soul Gems converted to Grief Seeds are not counted. Second, it will consume approximately 50% of her magical capacity. (around 25% of it goes to the newly recovered gem, which is automatically used to recreate the body from scratch. Because of this rare ability, however, she was practically searched high and low by several mahou shoujos, intending to use this hefty power for themselves. Consequently, she moved from province to province until she made it to the capital city of Quezon City where she met Michelle. Since then, however, they have proven themselves to be a relentlessly vicious duo, with Michelle often taking the forward with her extremely fast spells and her taking the back, complete with healing and archer support.

Her past dates back a year ago, back when rebels abounded the countryside, she was but a farmer's daughter in the land surrounded by several dangerous forests. One day, her family was consumed by a witch barrier. Almost gotten eaten by a witch, it was Kyubey who saved her from dying and grant her wish: "to have the power to save everyone from death and despair". With these thoughts, the healing archer girl was born. Within a few days, everyone has been miraculous revived, even rebels in disguise. However, because of her father's dying wish, she did not revive her. Instead, it was when she started her long travel to Quezon City.

She wears a pure white coat, almost like Zhao, but a lot fluffier (to the point that it looks like a winter coat), which partially covers her 10-button white semi-transparent polo in which one of those buttons include her Soul Gem, coupled with a bright pink mini-skirt. While she has a rather flat chest and small height, her bright, hopeful brown eyes and natural smile counts as a miracle for many of her comrades, despite what had happened so far, both to her and the world. Her long, silky, black-dark brown hair reaches as far as her knee – the proof of her beauty.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

"Now, now," Angel waved her hands up and down. "Don't be such a worrywart, Mica."

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh, " Michelle death stared at Angel. "You too?"

"Err…" Kaoru sweatdropped. "Less talking, more healing."

「Angel's Soul Gem: 100%」

"So…" Umika wondered, trying to find a chair to sit on. "What happened here?"

As both Umika and Kaoru searched for a seat, she quickly noticed the patients around Angel's "clinic." While it was every bit crowded, you could see who was slacking off – those who merely wanted to waste their time thinking if they would give up or just kill the day doing nothing.

"Well…" Angel paused for a bit. "It's kinda complicated."

"It's not complicated at all…" Michelle stared at the slackers near her right. "_Mga walang awa…_"

Umika seemed to tilt her head. What did it mean…?

"Anyway," Angel set aside Michelle's endless rant. "Stay here as much as you want."

"T-Thanks…"

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

"It has to be done."

Homura settled.

"B-But…Mami and the others…?"

"Don't worry, the other Pleadies Saints WILL come."

Homura backed up her words with assurance.

"B-B-But…"

"There's no time to worry about it. I'm very sure that Pollon will survive the attack. You should at least distract her while I return Mami and the others back."

She reached for a second pipe bomb and activated it towards the time-frozen smouldering boulders.

_Click!_

As if echoing back the laws of time back, everything moved again in an instant. Within the next instant, every single bullet disappeared. What had happened? Kazumi thought of it for a millisecond, before continuing on to crush the boulders covering the exit with a _Limiti Interni_. She didn't have any time to spare, before Homura's experimental bomb explodes…

…and crushes this entire building to nothingness.

「Kazumi's Soul Gem: Unknown」

Within the forsaken skyscrapers, a familiar girl jumped from the next building to the other as she continued to observe. While the monochrome grey sky continued to shower its gloomy aura over the city of San Francisco, a certain pink light, not so far from her, tore this gloomy sky, and, instead, the original blue speck of the sky took its place. Within a few seconds, this speck of sky expanded itself, covering the entirety of the sky. And just within these few seconds, the sky itself dyed a tint blue.

"I guess it wouldn't be too rude if I helped out?"

She continued approaching the arena at a steady pace.

"My lady."

A voice put a stop to her tracks. Suddenly taking a break over a skyscraper, her companion joined her tracks.

"O-Oriko-sama," Kirika muttered. "Isn't this a bit dangerous…"

"What are you talking about?" Oriko's eyebrows widened. "Aren't I to know the future…?"

"B-But… your predictions are…"

Oriko knew all too well. 3 days ago, she saw the end of everything. Homura and a few others, herself included, battled the great witch Kremhild Gretchen.

And failed.

Since recently, however, something has been off. Instead of seeing the future, she merely saw the past. She saw how Homura was reborn with the power of … maybe a thousand timelines. No, probably tens of thousands of timelines. Even she wasn't so sure.

"'I wish to find the purpose of life.'" Oriko echoed her wish that she made to Kyubey. "When I first received that wish from Kyubey, I did not just acquire the memories of my other me's. I also received the future. I knew I couldn't stop Homura anymore… I also knew how you, Kirika, killed several mahou shoujos for me without even asking me why, to which I was grateful. I also knew how I fell before Homura. But… now…"

Oriko paused before continuing.

"I think there is a purpose in this." Oriko responded. "I always wonder, 'Who gave me this vision?'"

Kirika scratched her head. "I presume it was your powers?"

Oriko shook hers.

"If this was due to my powers, I should have already known what my visions meant."

"Then…"

"It couldn't be Kyubey either." Oriko sounded as if she knew what Kirika knew what to say. "if it was Kyubey, surely he should have had known these visions and tried to stop them... or would he?"

"Surely…" Kirika looked around. "This has already been deviated from Kyubey's plan, doesn't it?"

"No…" Oriko muttered. "One of my visions, around the second day… it indicated Kyubey talking to … Madoka and… me."

"Eh?"

"That was when I found out Kyubey's intentions… Entropy." Oriko dragged Kirika's hand and made her way towards the stadium as soon as she saw a blinding light, smashing one part of the arena.

"You mean…"

"Kyubey's… entire plan… is the prevention of entropy."

"What do you mean, entropy…?"

"Entropy refers to the heat of the universe." Oriko stopped, approaching the front door to the final skyscraper. "If Entropy reaches maximum, what would happen is the heat death of the universe. Normally space has temperatures reaching 10 Celsius or less… unless you're very near the sun. Whenever people consume heat, a good portion of this heat escapes into the atmosphere and becomes wasted energy. As energy stores up into the atmosphere, only to be bounced back by Greenhouse Effect, some of these energies escape into the universe and becomes part of its universal temperature. Under these normal conditions, this thing called 'Heat Death of the Universe' is most likely going to occur… in around 4 billion years, at max. Within 50% of that event, we will most likely be extinct, because of the endless tidal waves or supernovas that will eventually tear through the Sol System."

"Then, it would mean that Entropy would be impossible now, right? I mean…" Kirika stuttered. "…Kyubey left because he already reached his quota right?"

Oriko's voice shook.

"He only managed around 2% of the job for this entire universe, which is actually pretty amazing, really, and WAS trying to prevent the exponential acceleration of entropy, which, according to Zhao, is still going to occur...

Kirika silent gasped.

"Next year… or more accurately, in December, 2012."

『To Be Continued...』

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ  
><strong>Author Notes:<strong>

Whew… Finally! I've been so busy with so many things only recently I have been able to actually finish it. Plus the fact that my only copy of this was wiped out and had to do it again… XD

Anyway, good afternoon/morning/evening/whatever-time-it-is, everyone. To those who have stayed so long to see this through, I'm very sorry. It's a bit annoying to see my work being delayed for so long due to RL stuff.

Anyway, kudos to Homura for acquiring the power to dodge rain. I knew it was possible! I just knew it! Just for your information, she DID NOT use time-stop to dodge it. More rather, she acquired something like accelerated senses.

As for Oriko… well… err… _sayonara_! ^.^"

*hides*

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ  
><strong>Preview:<strong>

"…We're not humans. We're not allowed to live. We're not allowed to control ourselves. We shouldn't have sentience. Yet, why? Why do I feel this aching loneliness that strives to give me hope? Is it because I've… really reversed my fate? Or is It because I was just too naïve…?"

**Next episode:** "It's my own decision."


	13. Ep 11: It's my decision

"Get ready, she might strike anytime soon."

Yume focused her gaze at the mysterious mahou shoujo, and assumed a defensive stance. Others almost took the same action, preparing their weapons. Homura, in particular, reached for her shield, and took out a shotgun, more specifically, a Walther P22 Q pistol, and held it in her right hand – the same hand her shield was it.

Homura quickly pushed herself several meters, and focused her gaze at the girl Kazumi Sakura.

"Ready…"

"Set…" Kazumi grinned.

"Go…!"

As if signaling fireworks, several sparks flew around the baseball stadium, none touching the lines that made up the base of the stadium. With a speed undermining that of a bullet train, several after-images flashed onto the spectators eyes, all picturing Homura's and Kazumi's light-sabers clashing against each other, creating a yellowish spark between them. Wait…

"Since when did that girl have a light-saber?!"

Yuma's lifted eyebrows threw in the notice of the other girls.

"Does it count just as suspicious that they can both move at supersonic speeds while we can't?"

Minna was worrying about something different; it was a total understatement, in reality. All throughout the Magical Girl Exchange's history, there had been around a thousand magical girls who had such a similar ability. Their wishes were very different than from what today's magical girls had signed up for, however: one girl wished to be as fast as the Flash, and that didn't turned out quite well for her – one of the witches she had encountered was a trap maniac, after all. Another simply wished to be fast, and so did her lifespan. Another girl, around 2 years ago, wished to travel to the anywhere while being able to go back home, but that turned out to be something different, after all. Either way, man … women had wished to be faster than anyone else, because people will always believe that speed is better than having the strength to do it.

"It's quite weird," Mami speculated. "That almost suddenly that girl has one. It's very similar to Homura's too. Was it a power related to her wish somehow?"

Kyouko nodded.

"It sounds weird already, but," Kyouko commented. "It seems that she seems to be on par with Homura. Heck, here am I… thinking only Homura could have that kind of goddamn power…"

"No," Hikari corrected Kyouko. "I think everything… that has happened since the last minute is part of the wish magic."

"Wish magic huh…?" Mami pondered. "You can say it's my first time hearing it like that…"

"Well," Hikari commented with a smile, as she glanced at the still-staring-at-the-fight-as-if-she-was-actually-following Mai . "If you have enough experience with other mahou shoujos and how they use their powers, we would eventually come up with something like that: wish magic – basically the mahou shoujo's soul's natural power."

Without warning, a several sparks flew over the commentators, images of an soulless Homura parrying off several of the girl's frightening combo assaults, sent several of them stepping several steps back, Yuma particularly tripping over a small pebble and falling over backwards in an awkward position.

"W-W-Wha…!" Yuma's words were more than enough to express her utter surprise.

"We should rather…" Mai finally spoke. "Think about saving Sayaka over there…"

The rest nodded in agreement, as they finally made up their minds to cross the mirage-filled battlefield.

(Play Connect ~TV Size~)  
>ロネムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム<p>

_Episode 11  
>"It's my decision,"<em>

ロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

_Zwwwish…_

The sound of clashing light-sabers kept on ringing on Homura's ears with vastly different pitches, one after another, in this accelerated field. Without them knowing, it had already started to drizzle, but, however, to the two duelling, it looked more like dramatically falling teardrops, whose appearance could clearly be seen as falling spheres of water with its own as a small tail.

_Zwaaaaam…_

Again, that familiar sound flashed through her ears, along with the small whispering splashes of water. Only this time it had a rather different sound. She might not know how light-sabers like this one were made (it was an conception of her wish though – this lightsaber was made to counteract almost any mahou shoujo or witches made from the past up to the present.), but it weights quite light compared to the machine guns she was holding during the old days.

She spun 180 degrees towards the party, and dashed with the speed of a bullet. It was slower than usual, but enough for Kazumi Sakura to miss them long enough to catch a glimpse of her own light-saber.

Within just around 20 milisceonds, the enemy's light-saber's flaring "blade" was already closing in on Homura's wrist joints. With all her might, she twisted her arm in response to this insanely lethal attack, allowing for an exotic light-saber spin and quick grip change.

_Zwaaaaaak…_

Homura had expected a successful parry from that girl. However, she was one step closer, letting go of her sword. Her wrist magically twisted back, holding the sword again before even the gravity or Kazumi's parry were able to push it away, providing time in terms of milliseconds for her to turn her awkward defensive position to a direct thrust at Kazumi's chest.

However, the figure dissipated with the same timeframe, her right foot kicking the ground and purposely putting her off-balance to allow for a measly escape. She grounded her left foot backwards off at the base and rushed back towards Homura again. Again, Homura was able to parry its attack, just by blocking it with her shield.

Around 20 seconds had passed. Nothing has penetrated the girl's infamously speedy attacks so far. As Homura continued on parrying and providing a counter-attack to the girl's attacks, she just seems to parry hers almost instantly. Would this exchange of attacks come to a close? She dashed several meters towards the center and changed her stance to someone like fencer, she then fired the pistol she had still been holding from her hand.

_It will work._ Homura figured, as the girl had already dashed in so close.

"Do you think anything you'll do will work that easily… Homura-chan!"

"…!" Her now shining eyes widened as she fired the trigger of her pistol towards herself, and at the same time, she threw her light-saber mid-air, caught a hold of her shoulders, and spin jumped. Her shoes, which looked like middle-school black leather shoes caught her light-saber, which had not even touched the tip of its gravity-affected path.

"Genius."

Ruby-colored glitters encircled a portion of Kazumi's arm, materializing into a round shield similar to Homura's own round shield. Just before the bullet from Homura touched her skin, her entire position changed. Homura's eyes blinked as the bullet hit its after-image instead, in an appearance that would seem as if he hit a ghost. After a millisecond, the after-image had disappeared completely.

"You don't think you could just waltz in and simply rescue the Pleadies Saints from danger would you?"

She "teleported" back to the intruders, who had almost untied Sayaka from her chains. While her shield, which had materialized completely, had an insanely similar appearance to hers, only, rather than a full grey with purple gems in it, lined with a glittering purple light, it was colored similar to the glitters she saw earlier – a bright shining ruby, with a lining design that could be mistaken for the number eight.

"Go ahead," the girl smiled. "I have already done my job here for her."

Yuma eyes fixed upon the girl who had imprison her friend's "friend", but, rather than an evil smile, as she would have expected for bullies like her, she caught a glance of her silent, nearly sad, yet resolving eyes with lips that leaned downwards. Her eyes did not blink, or rather, she couldn't stop staring for just one more second at her particularly suspicous expression. Her eyes leaned right, as if glancing at the one at hers – Kyouko.

"I have to do this…" The girl's final whisper crept into Yuma's petite ears. "Sorry, Kyouko-chan."

_Just…_ Yuma muttered to herself, being careful to not let anyone but herself hear. _Who is she?_

Without her noticing, Sayaka had already been unchained. In a matter that would have fooled anyone, no marks had permeated the tough girl's otherwise frail skin. There were no such marks of force, nor any attempt for Sayaka to even consider standing up any time soon. A few precious 5 seconds had passed before she finally stood up, and turned her back on the girl that had forcefully took her out of nowhere.

"You know…" Sayaka's words echoed. "…we could help you."

Tears welled up Kazumi's eyes. However, no one, except probably for Sayaka, could tell them if they were tears… or teardrops that had fallen on her cheeks. She wore the mask of contempt, and stared at the central figure who Mami and Hikari had already been untying.

"She…" Kazumi's words were like a chick trying to speak. "… is more important."

Her eyes turned around to Homura's.

"…than any of you."

Leaving with these words, a shadow quickly moved towards her faint one, and just as easily disappeared without a sound.

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90 seconds left.

But it was more than enough.

"Mai."

Homura's words reached Mai's ears without any other word, and had already held onto each other's hands.

"Pleadies Saints, the girls who tried to do the impossible… in so many ways," Homura's voice passed through the others. "Have already done it. However…"

"Even theirs was fabricated, wasn't it?"

As she stepped forward, both their cheeks touching each other, water splashing only served to ricochet everybody else's attention over Sayaka's daring statement.

"Yes."

There was nothing else to say than that.

"Clearly," Sayaka shuddered. "There's a way… that girl… didn't have to suffer."

"I understand somewhat," Homura explained. "But her suffering… would be unbearable, even for herself. It must only be that faint hope of puella magi finally counteracting Kyubey's cruel loop that she's able to go on, and so was I."

Homura caught Kyouko's particularly clueless expression, and frowned.

"It still pains me how many times I've experienced Madoka's suffering… and Kyouko… and Mami."

A silent gaze befell upon the group, as Mai's incantations have almost been completed. Unfortunately, for such a big party as a large group of mahou shoujos, something called preparations need to be done to create a large magical circle fit enough to teleport everyone to San Francisco. Just within the distance, Hikari and Minna, with unkept faces, have almost finished bringing every single body of the Pleiades Saints over to the magical circle, which was at the pitcher's stand.

"Oi, oi," Minna pointed to a hole in one of the girl's suit. "None of these girls have their Soul Gems!"

"Eh?!" Hikari was the first one of react.

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20 seconds.

"Hikari! Minna!" Homura's two hands gripped upon the two. "Where…?"

With gazes fixed on each other, then back to the wide stadium.

"None… it's not here." The two nodded, again and again as they turned around looking for what seems to be nothing. "Could it be with that girl?"

"Wait!"

Hikari's words pierced Homura's ears.

A lone girl got up at the stage. Her supposedly "cool" clothes were ragged. If it wasn't for the torn out clothes that had partially revealed her chest and body, she would have had a long dark brown back coat, and something that could be mistaken for a tam o' shanter, and quite a cute one at that, contrary to her dejected expressions. However, Homura and the others did not care about such a thing, only that one shining gem that continued to glitter and that darkness that continued to swirl half of it.

"I-It's…a mahou shoujo!"

Mami was the first to notice.

"E-Eh?!" Hikari thought for a moment. "I-I thought everyone within the Japan region should have fled right now?"

"No…" Homura shook her head to make herself redundant. "She was… a pawn in her own little revenge: a day dreamer in this forsaken garden."

The girl was almost ready to break down, and fall to the ground with a hysterical depression, as the border had already passed the wide open highway into the outer depths of the city.

"We should-"

Before Mami could finish her sentence, Homura had made her move, and without a single sound, she had already brought the distressed girl over to the circle, as if to save her.

"Now!"

"Roger!"

Mai's signal enlightened the magical circle, and made a faint swish as the resulting gust swirled around the resulting pillar of pink and purple light. Within a second, the light quickly contracted, and so did their bodies, as they were caught by the pillar of light and took off.

At almost the same time, a gigantic border made of scribbles engulfed the stadium.

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"Gah!"

The cold night wind encompassed everyone's entire bodies as they descended with a bright purple light, piercing the darkness of the night. As this pillar of light dissipated, the gang's figures widened up until it had fully assimilated itself with the surrounding skyscraper lights. Within a relatively tall skyscraper, Mami, Kyouko, Homura, Mai, Hikari, Minna, a mysterious girl, and the entire Pleadies Saints had already torn through the limits of their speed to travel to a relatively far place. However, Homura's eyes focused on the surrounding skyscrapers instead of any of the other girls.

"Akemi-san?" Mami was the first to ask.

"Do you feel it? It's that girl's magical trace…"

Homura took out her own Soul Gem and used it as a magical girl compass, hoping to detect the wavelengths of other magical girls that had made their living here for a while. Hikari sighed at the pitiful sight (doesn't she already knew that she can search for anything or anyone?) and started pinpointing other magical girls nearby with their Soul Gems. Minna had started healing the other bodies of the Pleadies Saints, which are still unconscious, most likely because of the fact that their Soul Gems were already taken, most likely by that mysterious girl who battled with Homura.

"Just who… is that girl?!" Mami flabbergasted at the thought of the impossible power. "Not only was she able to match Homura completely, but also able to teleport here?"

Sayaka stared at Homura for a few seconds, waiting for a response. Homura shook her head.

"I had already determined her power…" she declared to the gang.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

**Kazumi Sakura**

_Weapon  
><em>Various

_Specialty  
><em>Create fake objects, laws, realites, and identities

_Nationality  
><em>Japanese

_Description  
><em>Kyouko's long forgotten little sister. The once proper, considerate, and beautiful sister had already turned into an "emotionless mastermind", although her relationship with Kyouko still haunts her until today, whose past was meant to be forgotten by everyone including herself. She cannot fathom the probability of her emotions getting in the way of her plans to purge the Kyubeys and get rid of the current puella magi system that had resulted in her family's destruction. She had loved everything before, but now… she doesn't even know herself, except for the defining hate that had remained in her heart all this time, and her remaining love for Kyouko.

For now, she has "imitated Asunaro City's Kazumi's appearance", mostly due to her powers, although she has retained some of her original pink hair, due to the "basic limit of her power" – she cannot imitate anything perfectly. She has create several of these kinds of clones long around the same time that the Pleiades Saints had started cloning them (presumably around a year ago after the incident with Kyouko). As the one responsible for many of the events that had befell upon the Pleiades Saints, including the creation of Juubey, the being whom she created with as "fake Kyubey" but with the mental sickness called "emotions", she also created the being called Kazumi by providing a wild predicate to their experiments, which were the results of hers. So in a strict sense, she is "Kazumi's creator." To distinguish herself from the other Kazumi though, she wore a black cape, which had more often than not covered her face, most especially to avoid unnecessary contact with fellow puella magi. Most of the time, though, the cape alone is enough for anyone not to make such similarities between the two.

While she can only create fake laws or objects, that itself is her biggest advantage. Through experience, she has been able to copy any puella magi's power or weapon, as long as it only does 95% of the original power. Her entire existence lies on deceit, so much that she can create fake memories for anyone whom she use her powers on – the very reason why Kyouko had presumed that her sister was dead. Also, for the most part, most of her "imitations" have become exact copies of the same thing, except for minor details. Considering many other puella magi have considerable earth-shaking powers, such as Homura's unique ability to be able to defeat any puella magi or witch, or _Kazumi_'s ability to bend reality and/or the special rule of many composite magical girls (ie Asunaro Kazumi) to absorb others' magic.

Because of her connection to _Kazumi_, _she_ herself may have such a power, a power given by her creators, which includes herself as a predicate. However, there has been no proof of her powers reaching _Kazumi's_.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

"What?!"

Now it's Mai's turn to be astonished.

"She must have already imitated mine, Mai, and Sayaka's power." Homura deduced. "The only limit she has is within her Soul Gem, which I had analyzed to be 60% and accelerating."

Mami had an idea what needs to be done next.

"We…" Homura paused before continuing. "… must capture her, and… cleanse her Soul Gem as soon as possible."

「Kazumi's Soul Gem: 61%」

"Ughh…"

Kazumi disgustfully stared at the thing called a Soul Gem, her hands holding the cursed thing by the hand.

"The plan still isn't done…"

Kazumi's pitched lowered. Jumping from the skyscraper down to a nearby witch barrier, her teeth clenched, bearing the vague, unidentifiable pain that had coursed through her body.

"…I need to keep her… from knowing the truth… just yet!"

A mirror like portal swallowed the girl whole, entering the witch's barrier.

「Kazumi's Soul Gem: 65%」

Kazumi kept on falling, as she would have expected from a sewer-based witch. The pit itself was an endless one, extending towards a blank void. The dark green mucous walls itself reek a smell, which had proven to be a mix of human manure, toxic gases, rotten eggs and methane. Cut pieces of strange flying slime creatures passed the girl without a single notice.

A word never escaped her, in spite of the seemingly nostalgic scent coming from her complex expression, but proceeded to assume a diving formation. Materializing a red lightsaber from her left hand, she threw it towards the endless void.

"DIE!" Kazumi shouted with all her might, while at the same time, her eyes started glowing a bright golden aura. The dark pit, as if responding to her words, flashed several times, before illuminating the entire pit with a pulsating light-green tint. She had finally reached the ground, which had shaken the second she dived towards it. A large crater was left in its place, along with an unshaken figure, which had miraculously stood in spite of the colossal pose she assumed. A small round shield had assumed its position in one of her arms, while another light-saber had materialized yet again in her left hand.

"… Oi oi." Her shadow echoed. "Are you sure you want to do this alone?"

"Oh," Kazumi had stared walking towards the sea urchin like figure. "I thought I had already told you to shut up before we got here."

"I am, somewhat." Her shadow responded. "It's just that…"

"Don't worry," Kazumi responded. "… this Grief Seed isn't for me."

"Eh?"

Kazumi chuckled.

"I am a Type 2." Kazumi declared. "I don't need such obscure things."

『To Be Continued...』

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ  
><strong>Author Notes:<strong>

Hello, guys! To those who had started following me (specifically the author), thank you for your patronage. To those who had started following my story, thank you as well! (Although an author follow would still be nice, considering it would have saved me the effort of advertising. Yes, I'm advertising my own fic within my own fic. It's a fic-ception. ) Actually, I was supposed to advertise the upcoming project supposedly after this: which is about SAO and Accel World. Do you watch those anime, btw?

Anyway, I had quite a hard time getting the right words for this chapter, as I wanted it to be emotionally fitting. This day isn't gonna end soon, in spite of being around more than 10 chapters. Oh wait… *computes time* geez! If you think about it, it's already around 1 AM in Los Angeles at that time! XD

Anyway, unfortunately, this fic still won't end too soon. *sigh* So many to reveal: and a whole day everyone doing everything as soon as possible. If I were to be in such a situation, it would still be pretty easy for me to forget some things. I also find the need to fix some things in the previous chapters (mostly because of Kazumi's new chapters – the proof of a Real Life Writes The Story) , but it's probably not to trivial, and I already speculated most of Kazumi's properties – most especially the fact that she's *shot by Spoiler Police*

I'm going to admit: I find it hard to write after this, mostly because of the emotional rollercoaster that will be coming within days. However, that same emotional feeling that I want to portray to my readers is the only other thing that makes me get my laptop and just write to the bitter end, taking note of every single detail. However, I feel that I'm bound to fail in my research sooner or later. I really hope not. DX

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ  
><strong>Preview:<strong>

"As the final preparations finish, and the final trump cards uncovered, an innumerable obstacle trying to stop me from the plan that will turn the world upside down will overturn all the despair in this world into a sure hope. She has already done more than what she would have done a week ago, and… for the first time… I'm actually proud of being part of it."

Next episode: "That one remaining hope is enough."


	14. EP 12: That one remaining hope is enough

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Kazumi recalled all these words to herself, chanting them like an unmovable sutra. Pollon, the witch, was still frozen in place, as if… as if anticipating their next attack, but she knew she had to be careful. As Homura brought the victims and Mami one by one outside the wide arena, a cough escaped her.

"!"

She exerted all her strength in her feet and rolled to the left. Without warning, Pollon's magical girl form would have kicked her face with the force of a hundred bulls, if she had not dodged it. She instinctively sprung upward and backward with her left hand. As if as fast as bullet, Pollon, the witch, would have completely engulfed her whole, if not for her killer instincts. Two… three… and four strikes - they kept on attacking Kazumi with physical attacks with an endless barrage of kicks and punches, pushing Kazumi to use her cross staff to defend.

"Homura-chan!"

With eyes focused on Pollon's witch form, Homura had slashed away part of her cloak with the speed of a bullet, traces of the light saber's faint light quickly fading.

"Is Mami-" Before Kazumi could say any more, Pollon's magi form flying ax kick had almost reached her frail head, had she not stepped backward.

"Yes, I already had moved everyone to Angel's 'clinic'."

A straight horizontal slash pierced the girl's figure, but it just passed through as if it was an illusion.

"Cli-"

Kazumi would have asked her, but now couldn't the time. She pointed the tip of her staff at Pollon, and started concentrating her power in its tip. Responding to her master's concentration, the gem in her staff responded with a bright red-pink light, followed by a pointed magical circle. At the same time, the same magical circle expanded around her, and a wild wind followed up, fluttering her long black hair.

Pollon's magical form instantly appeared right in front and tried to deliver a straight knuckle punch, only to get blocked by a strange white barrier. A kick quickly followed. Two kicks, three kicks, four kicks, with no effect, simply served to send ripples throughout this transparent barrier.

Pollon uttered unconceivable words of curses, before proceeding to ram her mask straight at Kazumi's staff. Sparks ricochet from the somehow transparent barrier, giving it off a partially spherical façade. But, as expected, Pollon angrily bashed her head at the barrier yet again, giving it another faint crack. Taking things to the extreme, and, as if rather oblivious to the fact that it seemed impossible to penetrate her, the snow white girl, yet again, delivered a vain, yet powerful punch, right towards the staff, sending a poltergeist-like quake throughout the arena.

"GO!"

Both Kazumi and Homura's respective signals proclaimed the end. Homura threw the bomb up in the air, and quickly dissipated; Kazumi's bright ruby eyes shone and glittered, and, as if satisfied with the time, she finally aimed the staff at the bomb.

_Limiti…_

Kazumi's pitch was low.

_Externi…_

Kazumi's declarative voice pierced the heavens, finally releasing the power of the hope she had placed in her hands.

_Infiniti! _

Without a sound, Homura could only watch from afar as the entire building shone with a bright white light, outshining the sun. However, as she expected, the dark hole, forming at the sky, seemed to absorb everything on sight, including the insanely powerful beam. Within this beautiful, yet blinding sight, specks of the witches' remains slowly disintegrate into the bright light, while the body it had formed remained still.

"As I expected of Kazumi…"

Homura … slowly grinned, and with it, a drop of tear fell from her cheek to the ground. Her left hand pressed a button, and placing the object (?) near her dry lips, she started speaking in a rather monotonous tone.

"Proceeding to the Final Phase of Plan A. Ending Phase 2 of Plan A." Homura recorded in a strangely plain white audio recorder. "Confirming existence of Plan B. Date: May, 04 2011 approximately 05:30 pm…or is it 6:00 pm?"

Homura frowned.

"I... hope Plan B… didn't have to exist." Homura muttered at the recorder. "… however, if Plan B does exist, then… then…"

The fainting light served to stop Homura from saying any more.

"… End."

Homura muttered in resignation, pressing the Stop Button.

(Play Connect ~TV Size~)  
>ロネムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム<p>

Episode 12  
>"That one remaining hope is enough."<p>

ロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

"Did… I…?"

Rubble fell through the now empty sky as faint, powered dust. The sky, which had now fully returned to a plain grey, reflected nothing of the girl Kazumi's expressions. Kazumi wanted to fully confirm the notion herself, as she continued to hold onto "Pollon's magical girl body", which she had left unscathed in the blast. She took out her Soul Gem, which had returned to her earrings, and stared at it for a few precious moments.

"A clear red…"

She slowly levitated downward, just noticing how she was practically floating in air. She wasn't sure herself, but…

"Have… I… finally… done it?"

Kazumi's cheeks flushed, staring back at the girl in her hands, whose clothes have apparently disintegrated. She was rather petite for a girl, almost having the same height as her. Her face reflected the beauty of a magical Snow White, while her silky hair merely reflected the same, if not physically so – a snow white color. However, her pale, faint expression still remained. Could it be that she was really like this? Kazumi shrugged as she checked the final piece she had been hoping for: the gem in her belly.

"No… way…"

Kazumi couldn't believe her eyes.

"That Grief Seed… is pure white!"

A certain someone said what she would have said.

"Oriko?"

Far from the duo, but just before the large clearing that was once a skyscraper, Homura displayed a mix of unprecedented surprise and doubt at the figure in her eyes. While they have already ceased being enemies and became one of the key person behind one of the schema, she still casted shadows of doubt over the unpredictable being.

"Ara~" Oriko took the first speech. "Homura-san… are _you_ that conservative to place the entire world in a 12-year-old child?"

Homura's face remained unfazed.

"It's not like I don't have a plan, and, as always, you'll always be there to be 'against me', even though you're 'with me' on my plan," Homura started walking towards the still flabbergasted Kazumi. "Tell me, Oriko… have you thought for once that I would kill Kriemhild Gretchen?"

"No," Oriko giggled. "Not once."

Kazumi continued to gaze her eyes at the two, who were now approaching her, and at the Grief Seed, which had turned totally white. The symbol of the falling diamond star, usuriously prized as the mark of the magical girl, still rested peacefully at its top. However, the once pointy bottom it once had has now long been gone, but instead somehow split into four corners which had been bent to the point that it intersected again somewhere near at the neck near the mark. But, most importantly, the Grief Seed glowed with a particularly pulsing beat, as if it was alive. Without a single warning, Homura suddenly put out her hand and materialized her Soul Gem.

"Oriko." Homura's tone seemed to change. "Can you take out your Soul Gem?"

Oriko reluctantly nodded.

Kazumi, pretending to understand a pinch of what was going on, reached out the white Grief Seed at the two's Soul Gems. As the two Soul Gems were placed side-by-side along the Grief Seed, dark energy began to seep out of the Grief Seed into the Soul Gems. This dark energy, most likely the left over despair from the witch Pollon, followed their usual path of Upper to Lower storage, making their way to the two's Soul Gems. Oriko's Soul Gem was tainted with a considerably faint dark tint (not really enough to even materialize despair inside it), while Homura's seem to have not changed at all, most likely because of the game-breaking amount of magical potential that she had.

"Impressive," Oriko nodded. "So you mean… that… "

"Like water," Homura explained. "Despair flows from the one with the higher amount of 'hope' to one with less. Just by this, you should already know what happens next."

Kazumi felt the pulse increasing inside the Grief Seed. Cracks from several of the Grief Seed's edges had traversed its way, creating even more cracks into the delicate frame. Within the next moment, this frame had exploded, yet the so-called "Hope" inside it remained. Instead, it formed a new Gem, and materialized itself as a small round marble inside it. The marble quickly grew in size; the unnecessarily nervous Kazumi merely flinched, but continued to hold the Gem otherwise. With eyes still fixed on the Soul Gem, Kazumi's pupils reflected almost the same white light it had emitted, almost letting Kazumi gain an eye color change to something that of a very light red. The dust finally faded on the object, which had now fully grown and turned into a new Soul Gem, and a very healthy one at that.

There was only one conclusion anyone could reach: Kazumi was definitely astonished.

"Kazumi's attack…" Homura noted. "Doesn't just kill witches. It changes them back."

"So does it mean that Kazumi's ultimate attack: Limiti Externi Infiniti, as a Type-2," Oriko placed her hand in her chin, trying to understand. "is a Grief Seed-powered beam that has more loaded room for 'despair' (this is using it as something like water) than the any Grief Seed. This causes despair to flow from the Seed to the Beam, producing this."

Oriko's hand reached for the slot in her belly, magically placing the Soul Gem within. With a bright, yet faint white light, the girl's clothes changed. With no time to settle here, and to relocate the now-waking-up victims, they quietly left the stage to the clinic just around the western block. Kazumi settled for a calming smile, while Homura's expression still reflected emptiness, reflected somewhat by her eyes. Oriko's snapping finger was the next one who pierced the silence, signaling the hidden Kirika to go ahead in front of them through the wide mix of skyscrapers and houses.

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30 minutes had passed since the event. Angel had been working double time for the past 20 minutes, as the victims coming from the raids escalate to a maximum. Within minutes, Kaoru, Umika, and Kazumi are "forced" to help out; in reality, however, it was nothing but forced: everyone knew that they were here because they wanted to, not because someone forced them to. While on the next corner, Homura and Oriko plan out the next phases of the plan to assault Kriemhild Gretchen. Others from the leading committee, with the exception of the always busy Zhao, have made their way to the conspicuous building they had set to be the Magical Girl Hospital. Their decision regarding the matter was a little bit harsh though, for Michelle that is. They could have easily chosen a better building, yet Homura personally chose this place as Angel's base of operations. Several images of a satisfied Angel flashed through her mind.

"She hasn't woken up."

Umika sighed in retreat. The girl that Kazumi had recovered still lay in a bed, her vital signs stable. Unfortunately, for anyone, no have any prior experience in medical situations like this. Angel only dealt with physical and magical-girl related injuries, not something advanced like comas. Homura could have helped, if she could have convinced her that it was important and activate her ability – something, for someone like her, would be virtually impossible. She lazily reached for a vending machine, and pulled out a Coke, drinking it with an unsatisfied stare.

"The others haven't come back yet."

Kaoru moaned. According to the plan, the other members of the Pleiades Saints should have showed up already from the Expeditions. It was a worrisome scene, as the number of victims escalates. Just how strong are the witches now?

"Eh?!"

Kazumi placed a towel aside after noticing the girl. Her eyes seemed to have twitched.

"Is she…" Kaoru first responded with a doubtful look.

"None…"

"She seems to have nightmares," Angel just came through the corridor and deduced. She had brought several water-like plastic bags, and placed them somewhere on a post. It was connected to a long tube with a pin at the end. "This should help her nutrition."

"Kaoru-chan…" Kazumi felt strong enough to talk again. "About the others…"

"I'm pretty worried." Koaru responded. "They said they'll be there."

"It's a pitiful situation at the frontlines, really…" Umika said. "It was just around 3 or 4 hours when we started the massive witch hunting… and this already occurred."

"It's all to get them Grief Seeds," Michelle came in. "We can't start the expedition to Japan without them, after all…"

Kazumi raised an eyebrow.

"To Japan…?"

Michelle face palmed, "Okay, who the hell didn't even bother to tell the kid what we're up against?!"

It took a few seconds, before Kaoru and Umika reluctantly raised their hands.

"You could count Homura, Zhao, Kyouko, Mami, Sayaka, Kyouko, and me as well…" Angel grinned. "…and then there's you."

"Fine," Michelle brushed aside her anger… for now. "There's one thing you need to know, and that's that girl's past."

Michelle pointed to the girl beyond the hallway, collaborating with Mami over at the entrance. A strange aura flowed within both the girls, something she might have not comprehended at all. She couldn't hear their conversation (not that she should), but it was obvious that Homura and Mami had been busy all this time. The wounds from Homura's bullet shot had already disappeared, and so was the remaining wounds she had incurred during the fight with Pollon. While Mami retained a worrisome look with Homura, Sayaka came in from the door, with a rather alarming look on her face. Her eyes revolved back to Michelle.

"… That girl … like you," Michelle breathed in. "… wants to save her dearest friend, now the greatest witch in history, and the witch responsible for everything that has happened so far, including the fact that we're in America."

Kazumi gazed back at the gang.

"Eh," Kazumi blinked. "They disappeared."

"Wait… was that…" Kaoru asked. "Sayaka…?"

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

"Sayaka…?"

Mami was the first to slap the girl in the face. She didn't flinch at all, but rather looked at her with confused eyes.

"Where… am … I?"

Homura didn't flinch. However…

"Eh?!" The flabbergasted Mami looked straight at the girl, then back at Homura again. "Oi… Sayaka…!"

"I think it would be even more awkward continuing this conversation." Homura said. "Where were you?"

"I…" Sayaka's head ached. "… don't know…"

"Haaa?"

"No time for unprecedented reactions, Mami-chan."

"No no no no no…" Mami waved her hands back and forth. "… no one just simply forgets things without reason."

Sayaka worriedly looked around her. The partially wide streets obviously did not reflect that of Japan. The bright orange sky reflecting the barely visible sunset did not reflect that of Japan at all, nor did the endless array of skyscrapers, nor the seemingly empty field just ahead of this block. Homura was never this … full of emotion, nor was Mami taking things too cheerfully, not at the time like she last remembered. She has never met this girl. She respired and resolved herself with a sigh.

"Ok," Homura, noticing Mami to have composed herself, finally continued. "Sayaka… tell me what you know…"

"…err…"

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

"That's the gist of it."

Michelle ended her long speech. Angel had already finished wiping the still unconscious girl's entire body down to the feet, and went over inserting the needle from the dextrose to the arm. Umika and Kaoru expressed feelings of sympathy, staring back at the girl outside the building. Kazumi couldn't even bring back the mood back up, who couldn't help but say one thing:

"I didn't know Homura went through such a situation."

"No one did. And…" Michelle headed back towards the hallways. "… no one will ever do."

Michelle and Angel finally left, leaving behind the 3 girls in an awkward silence. Umika reached for a glass of water, down at a corner, and drunk it, taking with it her guilt at the 4 busy days that had ravaged their lives and the world. Kaoru herself couldn't form a sentence to break the silence, simply staring back at the two repeated. Finally, as if bored, Kazumi stomped the ground.

"Why are we supposed to be like this? Didn't I do the impossible, and finally undermine the puella magi system? Didn't the Pleiades Saints already undermine the puella magi system by creating me?" Kazumi's tears inevitably fell to the ground. "And didn't Homura-chan do the impossible, and brought all of these puella magi?"

The two couldn't find the timing to respond.

"… and didn't all of us survive? Didn't Nico, Mirai, Saotomi, and the others survive…? Didn't Kanna survive?"

Kazumi had finally broke down in tears. She was still a child, after all, in spite of being a magical girl… and a witch turned magical girl, witch, and vice versa.

"Y…you're right."

Umika nodded.

"We shouldn't look back at the past… but at the future…"

Kaoru confirmed.

"After the strike teams return and the others come back," Kaoru said. "We'll most likely head towards Japan… and face her. And use our one remaining hope – you."

Kazumi wiped her tears, and happily nodded.

"When that time comes…" Kazumi's staff materialized, and dearly grabbed onto it with her two hands. "… I won't hesitate anymore."

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

"I've already contacted Kyouko-san: they're having a hard time especially particularly a witch with similar powers to Pollon…"

"… that's … just insane."

"I might just have to go there myself."

Just outside the "clinic" outside the magical barrier, Homura, Sayaka, and Mami had been discussing the various events that had happened so far, starting from the first day. With only around a thousand magical girls equipped for the fight against a colossal witch such as Kriemhild Gretchen, they simply can't afford any casualties. Homura's cold eyes didn't help in sympathizing with the status of the raid teams either.

"Your team seems to be earlier, Sayaka-chan." Homura noticed that fact.

"I guess _I_ was lucky."

"I can't imagine that being the case: so many witches spawning and all…" Homura sighed.

"I'm not going talk about it: this is some stressful work you know…" Sayaka noted. "Considering how a witch could easily rampage throughout our so-called base of operations, I'm tempted for _my_ entire team to stay here and guard. (I can't really call it my own when I can't remember.) Then again, you seem to handle witches better than I had initially thought. No… you can handle ANY witch waaay better than any of us, ever."

"We should help Kyouko's split team." Mami interrupted, taking out a map that spawned several areas beyond San Francisco into the wilderness.

The two nodded in response, taking a pen out of her shield and marking several of the locations of the current teams. Homura's usually reliable Intel showed that, currently, Kyouko's A team would be somewhere around the southern towns: one of which, around 10 kilometers or so from the city, had been one of the civilian's bunkers since the events of what-anyone-can call-yesterday's national upheaval.

"Alright… let's go!"

Sayaka mindlessly walked away. However, a familiar hand reached for her cape.

"Don't go off like that!" Mami exclaimed.

"…She's right."

"Eeeh…! B-B-Besides…" Sayaka bitterly smiled. "…maybe I can recover my memory if I battle some witches, right?"

"No." "Nope."

With Homura and Mami taking the judgment, Sayaka's wails have been silenced.

"It's better not to be too careless and plan ahead." Homura expanded. "The area within these perimeters is heavily supported by several tanks and missile launchers. It would be simply suicide to go through that barricade without an appropriate plan, especially as the most of these men were ordered to fire at every single thing that comes through it."

"Eh?" Sayaka shrugged. "Since when did the military go ballistic?"

Homura noted.

"It's been like this since Oriko's announcement." Homura noted. "… because of her, she has put the UN on hold, the US and Russia on a strict martial law. Within days, the entire western coastline of the USA has been largely evacuated, and thus giving us the freedom to operate this forsaken city under our command."

"Well," Mami commented. "I was pretty much against the notion, but Oriko was rather… unique. She preferred the entire world taking up arms in fear rather than silently succumb to the witch. "

"… I see…"

Sayaka mumbled, staring at the large coastline that Homura had laid out, complete with detailed information about the current teams and their location. She placidly glanced at the two's figures, and then at the orange sky, which had gradually dissipated into the darkness.

"Everyone's moved on already… and in such a short time."

Sayaka had finally chewed on his disconcert, giving a resolved sigh.

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

"Oriko-san!"

A certainly furious Kirika nearly tripped on a rock as she rushed towards her affectionate lover.

Oriko chortled, "Fufu, it seems a certain someone is jealous again…"

"B-B-But…" Words seem useless in this state. "I don't wanna believe you'll still be trusting in those thugs!"

Patting the naïve girl's head, Oriko turned around back at the clinic, without the fear of heights which she had already suppressed long ago. With a face full of compassion, she studied Kirika's oblivious expression, which had been the mix of an inevitable boredom and fuzzy furiousness. A sigh escaped her.

"I didn't say we simply trusted Homura, didn't we?" Oriko smiled. "Kirika-chan, you have much to learn… about this world, about what is important, and most certainly about how can you carry on my will and save this world."

It had been already obvious from the start: Kirika was, in fact, a lone girl, who had sought solace in her, while she herself, trapped in her own vicious past, had clung to her without herself noticing it. It was no exaggeration to say that she had grown accustomed to the cheerful yet naïve yet kind girl. It still wouldn't be enough exaggeration to say that she liked her presence. Is it love? A sisterly love? A forbidden love? Kirika didn't know the real difference, did she? No, it's more accurate to say that she loved her, but it was a one-way ticket to certain destruction – something that she herself cannot allow. But, in spite of that, that girl… cannot be replaced.

"… you can't be replaced Kirika," Oriko softly whispered. "… and as long as that fact holds true, I'll always be by your side – so trust me."

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ーー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

**Kirika Kure**

_Weapon_  
>Curved Claws<p>

_Nationality_  
>Japanese<p>

_Specialty_  
>Slow down anyone and potentially change a person's personality<p>

_Description  
><em>Described the most as a moody, rash, often bi-polar girl, sometimes worrisome when it comes to Oriko and her actions, more often than not loyal, and most often distrustful of anyone other than Oriko, Kirika Kure was (or is) a mentally unstable magical girl, driven by nativity and "love". She has a rather short black hair, much like Sayaka in a sense, although her back side is a lot more cut than her. She has a rather tall complexion, as tall as Oriko herself, coupled with a canine-like tooth that gives her a rather outgoing aura. Her magical form, quite similarly is the essence of her soul, which both reflects her ability to do anything for Oriko, including killing anyone in her way. She wears a rather large black eye patch that covers her right eye, while her left eye turns a canine-looking red, orange, or yellow, depending on her mood. She wears a loose black coat, which covers her white polo with ridiculously long sleeves that cover her entire hand, coupled with a white mini-skirt and black underskirt, as a nice complement to Oriko's magical girl form.

History serves that she was, before, a loyal, cheerful girl, who became entirely antisocial, timid and quiet after being betrayed by her best friend. It was around 6 months ago when, later, she met Oriko, so, wanting to be more worthy of her attention, Kirika made a simple wish for Kyubey: to grant her a more outgoing personality. Her current personality is the result of her wish, which was to "change" herself. Consequently, her wish magic involves changing people to become slow, depending on the situation. However, Oriko, after studying her wish, had predicted that Kirika had the potential to do more. Rather, Oriko proposed that she had the ability to change people's entire personality, including herself – which is, most likely, the reason of her rather bi-polar personality. She claims to have something like "love" for Oriko and is willing to do anything for her, something Homura often denies, much to her annoyance. In the end, she has gotten over most of her bi-polar personality, and assumes a worrywart stance to any of Oriko's actions, and often assumes the guard duty whenever she is in trouble, or when anyone threatens her. In spite of this, however, one must be cautious whenever her eye color changes.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ーー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

"_ne…_"

Kirika had calmed down, and clammed at Oriko's chest.

"… what if… everything… was…" Kirika's voice was shaking. "… just something we had monotonously repeated…"

Oriko's eyes widened for a second, before responding with a clear voice.

"Even if that's the case," Oriko's fist made her way into her chest. "Someone's feelings… are and will always be unique."

"An excellent answer, Oriko-san."

Oriko shot a glance of a suspiciously moving shadow. The shadow somehow assimilated itself into the nearby water tower. Kirika growled, swiftly kneeling towards the ground and formed a large magical circle.

"Who are you?" Oriko's declarative voice pierced the heavens.

"I'm not important…"

The shadow shifted to the shadow of a second water tower, and through the pipes connected to it.

"Have you pieced the puzzle yet?"

"No," Oriko's created vines, and out of nowhere blasted away several of the water towers. The sound of rushing water, mixed in with the warped metallic sounds, echoed through the now-leveled rooftop. "But I'm close."

"NOT CLOSE ENOUGH!"

The shriek, which had the pitch of several thousand screams, did not come from anywhere. It came from everywhere.

"Are you Kazumi?"

Oriko raised left eyebrow. With the flicker of the index finger, thousands of vines outgrew the ground and covered the entire roof. However, the shadow only gleefully shifted its form towards Kirika, and rushed towards it. Kirika, however, was in every bit faster. It wasn't just that: she was faster than the enemy, who has been slowed down to a minimum. She raised her claws – the claws that signify the opponent's doom – and punched the ground with it.

"Oh, her?" The shadows merely scoffed Kirika's vain attempts, and continued to swirl around Kirika with uncontrollable glee. "Kazumi is a realist. She was against her ways, did you know that? But, just as I was… and I'll stop her. I'll stop Homura…"

"Homura?" Oriko hiccupped at the word. "Why us?"

"Because of you and Sayaka," the shadow whispered. "Homura's going to execute Plan B."

"Plan B?"

"Ahahaha….AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The shadow lifted itself from the ground, and assumed the figure of a girl. The monotonous grey that covered the figure steadily took on a real color. Within seconds, a girl, covered in a dark coat, took its place.

"Hey," the voice teased. "Don't be like that… you know the future right?"

Kirika gained momentum, and tried to slash the girl straight through her belly, but a black mist-like shadow took its place.

"What do you… mean?!"

"Hey, hey, hey," she pointed her hands directly at her. "...you should already know… what… I'm talking about."

"I… honestly don't know."

Oriko's vines busted out and attempted to crush her. But instead, an invisible mist took the impact.

"Yare yare…" she face palmed. Was fighting her that naïve? "…here's a clue."

She pointed towards the west coastline.

"She plans to kill you there… in Kriemhild Gretchen. She plans to kill all of us."

『To Be Continued...』

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ  
><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

おはようございます、みんあ！

It means "Good morning, everyone!" … I think. Again, I want to thank you for following this story, and or reading all up to now. I know something does not feel right. It should be so. Hehehe. But sorry for the 1 week delay. I think I kinda pushed a bit too much and created something like a 5,000 word story. But does it matter? More content is more awesome, yes? Sigh… we've only passed "Season 1", which is 12 episodes. Season 2 is oncoming, which means more important stuff, such as how Oriko managed to turn the entire world upside down, and how Homura has gathered such an amount of magical girls. In fact, though, I don't think 1,000 magical girls is enough for such a powerful witch such as Kriemhild Gretchen. Damnit… Homura… I really hope that this Plan B… is good. Please…

Speaking of other things, I'm off to eventually replace all Magical Girl Cards with the new format. I hope it looks better than my previous ones. Please leave a Review - you don't know how happy I am whenever I see one whenever I refresh my e-mail... XD

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ  
><strong>Preview:<strong>

"Against all taboos: that's what my position is right now. And I speaking to you now is already against all taboos. But, be reminded… that we are now at war. And in war we must never hesitate. And wars only serve to destroy the defeated. And that's why winning is must, if ever we want to save this world – save humanity."

**Next episode:** "Magical Girls exist,"


	15. EP 13: Magical Girls exist

"Type 2?"

The shadow's voice failed to reach Kazumi's ears as he hacked away at the witch's disgusting figure. With a pained expression, she slashed horizontally and aimed for the witch's «», which she immediately recognized as one of the weak points of the hideous figure. Green blood-like fluids sprouted out of the witch, weakened by the fact that the sword Kazumi used pierced through and through. She took 4 steps backward, and studied her still exhausted Soul Gem.

The shadow inside Kazumi sighed, "Always so cryptic."

"… It's not like I don't care," her empty eyes were proof of her real emotions, even though she was smiling. "It's that… some things shouldn't be known yet."

Kazumi's ever empty eyes diverted towards the void. Where was she looking? Was she looking at the wall? She didn't stop staring at 'it'; scratch that, she couldn't. With eyes as straight and as assertive as someone who has seen a God, the God who has caused everything in the world from start to finish, she continued to stare back at it with a stern face. With her sense of certainty, she was sure enough that her own gaze went beyond the wall itself, and beyond the world itself. As if she was looking at someone… as if … she was looking at …

"Oi, who are you looking at?" The shadow snapped. Exerting what little force it had to push Kazumi away from the witch's slimy hand slap, the shadow's real figure almost got slingshot from the safe confines of Kazumi's shadow.

"To God."

Kazumi diverted her eyes back at the witch as she gave the last strike with her red light saber, piercing through its body.

"Again?"

"I can't blame you," Kazumi shrugged, as the barrier continually blurred, leaving behind a Grief Seed, whose logo at the top represented a medical capsule, similar to the ones in medicine and prescription. "No one will understand that… only she did."

Within the last second, the green mucous-covered tubes disappeared completely, replaced by the busy streets. People, oblivious of the girl that had appeared right at the center, continued their trance-like walk through the seemingly mundane scenery. However, the cars, just at the center of the road ahead, jerked and swung away from her as they made an abrupt break, nearly hitting the pedestrian side.

"Hey!" the driver got out of his seat and, on a fit, stomped back at the road. "Don't just stay there, damnit!"

However, the girl whom he had nearly hit… was already gone.

(Play Luminous ~1:30 version~)  
>ロネムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム<p>

Episode 13  
>"Magical Girls exist,"<p>

ロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルムロネルム

"I've pretty much mapped everything in this city."

Hikari's words were rather a refreshing twist in the endlessly noisy streets of San Francisco. She flung a screen of some sort from her finger, making its way to Mami's hands. She quickly examined the map with utter dissatisfaction and simply heaved a sigh. Yuma took the opportunity to look at what Mami was looking at, taking a peek from the bottom. Minna simply continued to drag the other Pleiades Saints down into a corner, just near a door.

"I appreciate the work."

Homura, with a voice as flat as the ground, turned her back from the girls and into the wide array of skyscrapers. The endless horizon of skyscrapers kept Homura from looking at the ground, and seeing the hundreds of people in the streets living their petty lives in blind, yet safe ignorance. She felt the air, which had been a mix of the sea breeze and the endless car exhaust, with a diluted concentration of nicotine. The bright dark citrine moon, tainted by the city, surrounded by smoky grey clouds, simply served to further confirm the ignorance of man. With a grazed look, her eyes got ahold of a girl, jumping off through the rooftops of the skyscrapers. Looking back at the mentally fatigued Kanna, and back at the girl, she finally made up her decision, dashing off through the skyscraper rooftops.

"Akemi-san where are you-" Mami almost bit her tongue. "She's already off."

"Heh," Kyouko replied with a shrug. "I don't know what that girl is thinking, ya know?"

"Well, Homura's himself," Sayaka bitterly laughed. "It's not, unlike before, as if she's in any way an enemy now."

The two saw the girl dashing off, jumping from one skyscraper to the other with an astonishingly bullet-like speed, chasing the girl around the horizon. Mami was ready to run after her, only to be stopped midway by the young petite hand of Yuma. She shook her head, as if asking not to follow her. In the end, the yellow-ribbon girl reluctantly sat down and heaved a heavy sigh.

"So, that girl?" Mami pointed to the girl Homura saved. "She looks like a mahou shoujo… what happened to her?"

"She looks quite desolate," Yuma pointed out the obvious.

As the others tried looking at the broken bird, goose bumps covered their faces. Kyouko was especially turned off by her inexpressively silent chanting. Yuma couldn't figure out what was wrong either, being a healer and all. Sayaka just simply kept her face away from everyone for some reason, and Mami, despite being the big sister type, couldn't even see through the girl's eyes, as if she was instinctively avoiding her. Hikari and Minna's faces turned away from the girl, mostly filled with disdain, the former focusing on the Search and Rescue Magical Girls mission. Mai teleported the Pleiades Saints to a safe place (most likely an abandoned large freezer), although, with Yuma around, she'd think it would eventually be unnecessary, and eventually started teleporting girls as prescribed by Hikari – yet a perfect example of how she doesn't care about people anyway. It was wondrously ironic how they were still doing their job quite well, despite the announcement from the MGE, which would have then alerted every puella magi right now to abandon the ship – the home called Japan.

"Akemi-san loves bringing in lost cases, does he?" Kyouko bitterly grinned.

"Lost cases, huh?" Mami pondered the thought, as she continued on studying the map.

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

"Wait…"

Homura's figure teleported right in front of the girl she had chased for too long. Without her noticing, she was already at the top of a long dark red suspension bridge. The wind vigorously waved upon the two unaffected mahou shoujos, who would simply threat it as a fresh breeze. She turned around. Her hair, with her cape suddenly uncovered with the wind, fluttered with a mix of black and pink in the bright citrine moon. Her face, painted with a pained expression, suddenly hid it and smiled.

"Hm?" The girl, Kazumi Sakura, shrugged. "Homura-ch… Akemi-san? Was our fight that dissatisfying?"

"How did you get here?" Homura asked, with a partially stern, partially calm tone.

"Don't be such a fool, H … Akemi-san," Kazumi shrugged, giving a sarcastic smile. "… you know I have the power to copy all powers, right? You should know how I copied Mai's power."

Both Kazumi and Homura's hair fluttered as the strong wind passed through the two figures. Within seconds, Kazumi had gotten over from one pillar to the next – near Homura Akemi.

"I should be the one demanding here." Homura displayed her intentions quite clearly. "And you should know that you don't really copy powers. You simply create fake ones that function much like the real one."

"Isn't that one and the same?" Kazumi entered the philosophical mode, and turned her back on the girl to the wide river. "When there's no distinction between the real and the fake, aren't they all but the same in the end?"

Are 'fake' and 'real' two sides of the same coin? If it was, then what would the witches be? Isn't it part of the reality that the world so says it's a simple fantasy? Would the endless despair be fake then? Would this so-called 'fake' simply just be what you wished everything to be, turning out to be true in the end? There will always be two sides of this coin, dubbed reality. Fantasy is not reality. If reality is the coin and fantasy is the tails, what would be the heads? One word will only come to mind: truth. So, then, it should be the other way around: the real and the fake are two sides of the same coin called Reality. So, then what is Fantasy? And what is Truth?

"Even still," Homura regained her composure, and locked gazes with Kazumi. "I can defeat anyone if I really want to, including you."

Kazumi tilted her head, frowned, and stepped closer to Homura. "Don't I have the same ability as yours now?"

"I know my and your own weakness." Homura rebutted. "It should be enough to defeat you."

"And I know yours." Kazumi teleported right at her back, and took a step forward.

"In that case, we don't need to fight, do we not. If we really can defeat each other, shouldn't we have done it back at Asunaro City?" Homura stared at Kazumi, and, sensing her emotions, calmly deactivated the light saber, placing it back at the shield. "I just want the Soul Gems of the Pleiades Saints."

"Oh!" Kazumi slammed her petite fist into her right hand. "You mean that, huh?"

Homura didn't respond, and neither did the unending breeze. She took the time to study her stature, and locked her eyes again on Homura's.

"Oi, Homura-chan…" Kazumi's expression turned serious. "Do you have ANY idea why I took their gems?"

"Other than luring me?" Homura's expressionless demeanor remained unfazed. "No."

Kazumi teleported right in front of Homura, near the edge of the pillar they stood on. Despite knowing that the distance between stepping into the wide river and the red lump of iron is effectively almost non-existent, Kazumi carelessly hopped and skedaddled without a care.

"Oi, oi," Kazumi giggled. "This actually seems quite fun. No wonder you always used this nifty ability."

Homura's fist clenched for a second, "Get straight to the point."

"I'm sorry."

Homura finally showed a surprised expression as she heard those unexpected words. What could she be apologizing for – everything?

"I've…" Kazumi paused, and bowed. "…actually never been happier than when you came along. I've hated Kyubey and their sadistic system for so long… I had forgotten this part of myself. I've forgotten to be happy. I've forgotten… who I was supposed to protect. No, scratch that. I've forgotten why was I supposed to protect, and hid myself in hatred for so long…"

Kazumi gazed at Homura yet again, this time with eyes of guilt.

"You," Kazumi deduced. "…have lost your old self, haven't you? You should know what I feel."

Homura continued to her listen to her senseless monologue without a single word or thought.

"Anyway," Kazumi started balancing herself against the thick steel cords. "You should know what I did right about now. I used the Pleiades Saints to create the 13th Kazumi of Asunaro City to take a risky gamble. I used my own powers as a power-up to Asunaro's Kazumi, and thus had gained total independence. Funny, Kanna had to come along. It's a good thing I used my powers to fake Nico's death, something she absolutely did not expect. Now…?"

Kazumi materialized Nico's Soul Gem out of nowhere.

"I don't know what to say to her." Kazumi frowned. "If you think you can do it, you take care of her."

She threw the moderately tainted Soul Gem up in the air, getting caught by Homura's careful hand.

"Umika and the others?" Homura calmly asked.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, at least not yet." Kazumi's voice faded. "…they're probably quite mentally unstable right now, because of what I did…"

Homura finally understood her situation, even was just a little. She wasn't just a girl who had lost her family. She hated the system, with all her might. She hated that every magical girl would become witches. She hated that, how powerful her powers are, she will never be able to surpass the pressing law Kyubey had implemented for so long… but now he's gone. The bastard she cursed for so long was gone. I wonder what she would have thought. Was it something in her eyes that seek to actually seek salvation in this wretched system? Did she finally realize that she can now rest in peace knowing that there's a certain someone who has a clear definite plan of turning the situation around? She knew that one thing that would have easily swallowed her whole into a witch: nothing was permanent in this world.

"…but" Kazumi continued. "…If you can convince Nico to help. Maybe it's possible. Call me when that happens."

As Homura nodded back, both figures disappeared without a trace.

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

"Oriko?" Homura's straight expression slightly changed. "I thought you'd be dead? Or so I would say if I was the old Homura."

"Ara~ Homura-san…" Oriko smiled. "Good, good, you're here already…"

With a surprising twist, Homura found herself suddenly in front of Oriko, as if she, indeed, waiting for her all this time. Judging from her looks, she had stayed here for a month, already familiar to the place. She was in her nostalgic white magical girl costume, something she hasn't seen for quite a long time.

"What are you doing here…?" Homura asked.

"Well, what are YOU doing here?" She returned the question.

"You should know what I'm about to do right?" She bounced her question once again. "You should have no problems with my initial plan right?"

"Hmph, I personally prefer destroying Kriemhild Gretchen with my own hands…" Oriko admitted. "But as I supposed to have embedded into your mind, whatever you're planning, unless it can't save the world, I won't have any part of it."

"You know I can't simply destroy Kriemhild Gretchen…"

"Ah, Homura-kun," Oriko changed her initials rather quickly. "But you can. You have the power to do so, in fact, I personally would have thought that you should have been able to defeat Kriemhild Gretchen right then and there. Although I doubt you'd last long that way…"

"Well, would you destroy Kirika if she became a witch if there's a way to turn her back?" Homura finally showed a speck of glee. "I think the answer's rather obvious."

Oriko's mouth formed an O shape, then a D.

"I" Oriko stuttered. "Is it?"

Homura's eyes blinked and glittered with a bright faint blue-purple aura, then back to normal again.

"Why wouldn't it?" Homura returned the question.

"I wouldn't simply know, un…like you Akemi-san."

"As I expected from you, Oriko-san." Homura turned back at the girl. "You would really choose the world over the one you love… your only friend. Is that right?"

Oriko couldn't make up something in response to Homura's bull's eye statement.

"Do you honestly think so, Akemi-san?" Oriko smile was genuine, but somehow it didn't felt as such. Why was that?

"I figured you'd say that." Homura slightly frowned. "The world over yourself, huh…"

"Homura, don't say that so easily…" Oriko had frowned in response. "It's hard to play the Savior role, you know…"

"But, you can't save everyone, can you?"

"That's true but…" Oriko's left hand reached for the sky. "…some things should never be mentioned like that. You know that girl, Kazumi right?"

"Did you," Homura lifted her eyebrows. "meet her?"

"I have… just a while ago, before I sensed your Soul Gems," Oriko clenched her left hand, and pressed it against her chest. "but in the end, she isn't the same as me. I can't necessarily agree with her ways. Do you, Homura-san?"

"Not necessarily," Homura admitted. "When worst comes to worst I might have to seal her. However, I need the Pleiades Saints for my plans. She can still help if she wants, but, with the hatred she had come to terms with so far, it would be a wonder how she hasn't turned into a witch yet."

"She has the power to copy other powers, right?" Oriko turned around to Homura; her long, silky white hair fluttered within the skyscraper breeze. "Then you should know that she, too, knows the future, which means she still has hope left inside her. 'What little hope that empowers a mahou shoujo is the same hope that will pierce the heavens.' I heard that from the friend you sought to protect."

"You believe even that huh…" Homura showed a smile. "For someone who believes in killing a couple for the world, you seem to have some sort of remorse."

"I'm not like you, Akemi-san," Oriko smiled. "Even a single soul in a separate time plane is worth the same amount of respect."

"But, in the end, you'd still do it, just like I have. Isn't it that she's doing what we both have done in the past?" Homura passed a rhetorical question with a slight frown. "You should know that. You tried to turn the entire Mitakihara High School into a witch barrier, just to kill Madoka."

"I only did that to get a reaction from you." Oriko's gaze went straight to hers. "I wouldn't do that if I knew you didn't have the power of time travel, and that it was useless the moment you had used your powers. That's why…"

"…you're here?" Homura asked the most obvious questions.

Oriko nodded with a straight face. "I was on bad terms with the old you, and I'm pretty sure somewhere in the past she still does… but you…"

Oriko paused for a bit.

"At least you're more negotiable."

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

It's been almost an hour, and, by this time, Kriemhild Gretchen might have already found itself swallowing 10% of Japan. The light of the bright shining moon covered the entire sky with a pinch of blue-orange, at least from the top where they were at. The entire city buzzed with people from all over the city, and cars that can't seem to take a break, even at around 2 AM, where everyone at this city at this time is supposed to be asleep. Unlike Mitakihara City, which was just a mere urban in an otherwise partially remote region of Japan, San Francisco was no ghost town. It was a busy city, with its thousands of its inhabitants walking about, probably without a care for anyone but themselves. For Mami, such was anything but sadness, to be oblivious to this real world of harshness and sadness and loneliness. What is the real "reality"? Is it the sad, dangerous world of the magical girls, or the "safe" world of the mundane world, which has its own share of hardships and such?

"It's getting boring," Mai returned from nowhere, came in from nowhere, and said something from nowhere. She's a nowhere girl.

"Don't say such things," Mami scolded the adventurous puella magi. "It's not as if we have anything to do. We can't even talk to the girl Homura picked up. For now, we'll most likely be safe for around 5 or so days, if Homura and my own calculations are correct. Rather, we should find a way to gather as much magical girls as we can."

"It won't be that easy." Kyouko rebuked. "One, there are only a few magical girls scattered throughout the world, at least, comparing it to other people. There's only probably 1 or 2 for every town there is, while in cities like this 4 can 'work together' to finish off the witches in the area."

"Yeah, about that…" Mai pointed at herself. "…and there's Hikari too."

"I know!" Kyouko flustered. "I just wanted to say it, okay?! Anyway, there's also the second problem: the fact that this city is a filled with people. How can we gather at least a thousand magical girls on such a place? It will be even harder for us not to get caught like this. Plus, the fact that we actually turn to witches is gonna have one hell of an effect too. Hell, if ever someone turns to a witch before their eyes, it will be hard to know what they'd do. It's just that unstable to gather at least a thousand, save alone a hundred… or forty."

"It can be quite complicated, when I think about it…" Yuma was, most likely, overthinking it; however, it wasn't so far from the truth. "I mean… how about the maintenance? How can we gather a thousand magical girls without enough Grief Seeds to accompany such a massive number?"

"For once, you made a point, Kyouko-san." Minna responded. "Isn't it the primary rule of MGE to ensure that these things should be known by only such a few people?"

"Tsk tsk tsk…" Hikari waved her finger back and forth. "…even you Minna…! Are you all undermining the power of the MGE?"

Hikari materialized an old English-style lantern in front of the eyes of everyone. The flame in its lantern flickered in yellow-orange light, much like a normal lantern; however, the shape of the flame was a straight teardrop: the skyscraper breeze didn't affect it at all.

"This is the epitome of my powers." Hikari declared. "It's the lantern that shines through all the obstacles in the world, save time. Actually the only reason this lantern can't reach such a vague obstacle is merely the fact that it doesn't seem to exist as one, but despite that…"

"It has the power to reach anything… and anyone."

The gang swiveled, their eyes widened as she saw Homura and Oriko, side by side. Yuma clearly recognized the girl's conspicuous face, remembering the girl who said that Kyouko will die if she didn't save her, and her white, wedding gown-like dress, and the deep feminine voice of an angel.

"I-I-It's that girl!" Yuma frantically pointed at Oriko. "She's the one I told you about, Kyouko-chan."

Upon hearing this, Oriko bowed, almost down to the ground. "I'm sorry, Kyouko-san, if Yuma-san had to have part in this, but I figured that you shouldn't die. Not then, not there."

"You know…" Kyouko pouted. "I swore to practically kill … if not punish you when I found you. But I admit… that Yuma saved me tons of times … so not today. Remember those words: not today. Hikari… please continue."

"Yes, yes…"

Hikari straightened her arm and reached the lantern she held to the sky. The sound of ringing wedding bells echoed… or at least would have if not for the annoying yet persistent medley that is the city. The orange-red light turned into a neon green one, and flickered occasionally.

"You see…" Hikari pressed her right index finger into the flame, and took out a small piece of its flame. It didn't burn the skin, but floated right at it. "When I say that this lantern reaches anyone and everyone, part of its ability (most of it, depending on your mileage) lets me talk to anyone and everyone I wish to. This includes basic information such as names and location too. If, say, I wanted to talk to everyone talking about Baseball, I get around… probably a billion people to talk to, just like that. Including some weird conversation about some guy named Riki in some near dimension. I knew I heard those lines from a game before… not sure."

"Isn't that a bit… overpowered?" Sayaka's right eye twitched. "And some near dimension…? Isn't that a bit too much?"

"I don't really use it much because of the magic it consumes." Hikari noted. "However, I think this is the perfect timing to use this, no?"

Hikari turned to Sayaka. Or was it the other way around?

"… I did that during the times I was but a curious magical girl, so don't worry."

"Well, that's very convenient indeed." Kyouko noted. "We could practically contact every magical girl in the world and get them to San Francisco City without much trouble."

"There's a catch though." Oriko interrupted.

"You know huh," Hikari chuckled. "Well, I guess I can tell everyone."

Hikari crossed her fingers.

"It consumes 90% of my magic reserves."

"Eh…" Mami widened her eyes.

"'Eh' is right…" Kyouko blinked. "Just who the hell designed your powers…"

"Well, it's not like anyone can do anything about it." Hikari shrugged. "And it was from the times when I was inexperienced. The consumption should probably around only 40% right now, but it's still quite much. As long as the taint in my Soul Gem doesn't reach a mere 80%, I think I can hold out."

"Either way," Homura's voice was stern. "We need to do this quickly. After that, we'll visit Beijing."

"Beijing?" Yuma repeated the word.

"I'm going to fetch a certain technician." Homura's eyes was glowing a bright purple, "Someone good enough for this job."

"But first," Homura cleared her throat. "Let's prepare that lantern. Oriko's partner, Kirika Kure, is at the Kennedy NASA Space Center right now on the other side of America. With Oriko's signal, Kirika's going to break into the worldwide broadcast to keep the authorities at bay as we rebroadcast the same signal through all known media, including all known monitors, with the help of Oriko's new friend."

She obviously meant Hikari.

"Did you really have to send that girl that far?" Kyouko asked. "I mean… it doesn't really matter if Kirika is there or not, is it?"

"She would probably pout at me," Oriko frowned a bit, "if I didn't make her do something. She's just that."

"I see, I guess we could easily use Mai-chan again in case we need her," Hikari nodded. "But, first thing's first: what are you going to announce?"

Oriko, carefully choosing her words, replied with a serious face.

"I'm going to announce the existence of puella magi."

The permeating noise of cars dominated for a moment. To say such a crazy thing, is it crazy after all. Homura kept a straight face, the face that says she already knew what her plans were from the start. Mami and Yuma couldn't keep up with the discussion, and simply blinked and glanced at each other's faces. Kyouko and Sayaka's eyes were twitching. Hikari tried to be as calm as possible, but it was still obvious that she was shivering, obvious by the vehement shaking of her right hand.

"EHHHH?!" Minna was the first to response: it's quite an achievement actually. "T-T-This… I-I-I… W-w-w-what… why the heck is this happening?!"

"You're overreacting again." Hikari slapped her in the face.

"She might not be overreacting at all." Mami's one hand found its way to her cheek. "It was problematic enough if Kriemhild Gretchen was ravaging the world, but to announce the existence of puella magi is a great risk. At the worst case, we might be dealing with the government and military as well."

"There's no such risk." Oriko turned to Homura, and back at Mami. "I've already seen it."

"Easy for you to say," Kyouko replied with a snark. "Even I had a hard time protecting Yuma who had been continuously ravaged by witches because of this."

As she looked at Yuma, the girl blushed and hid right behind Mami.

"Are you even ready for the consequences of these actions, Oriko-san?" Hikari questioned the girl. "This is a risky action, but I already see why you would want this."

"Here we go again…" Mai seemed to cover her ears.

"Listen, you dimwit."

_BAM!_ A knuckle went straight flying into her hard head. However, Mai didn't even care to notice the pain.

"Anyway," Hikari continued. "While the greatest reaction would come from the general public at large, the advantages would be substantial. One, this will allow all magical girls to know of the general situation, even those unreachable by the MGE. Second, we might be able to evacuate individuals from countries nearest to the area. By this time, Kriemhild Gretchen might have swallowed around 40% of Japan already. We might have enough time to avoid casualties if there will be. (I'm onto the assumption that people caught within the barrier are getting killed somehow.) Third, it'll allow for a quicker deployment of magical girls interested in this expedition. The fourth is probably the most important advantage: we'll be able to gather support from the military and abandon everyone in San Francisco for a base of operations."

"In reality," Homura corrected. "It's the only real advantage there is. First, we can already make Hikari contact the magical girls. Second, Kriemhild Gretchen does not kill. And third, other magical girls can help with the deployment."

"So, only that huh…" Hikari continued. "…the problems we can encounter are most likely the fact that many people might not accept Oriko's announcement, or, if they did, they might panic and cause unnecessary chaos, and that the military might go ballistic and declare war on the magical girls. Most likely we're going to see panicking from the near countries of Korea, Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines who'll be affected from the 4 or 5 days of preparation we have. The Chinese would be especially problematic because of its population of more than a billion people."

"Well that's that…" Mami threw the verdict to Homura.

"Mai, you can't teleport a billion at once, right?" Homura asked.

"One billion?" Mai returned the question. "You think I can teleport a billion people?"

"Well anyway," Mami sweat dropped. "Let's first prepare for Oriko's announcement."

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

"… you can't be replaced Kirika," Oriko whisper echoed through Kirika's mind like it was yesterday. "… and as long as that fact holds true, I'll always be by your side – so trust me."

Kirika slightly blushed as she passed through the immense crowd without a speck of notice. How much has her powers grown – perhaps a ton? As she chuckled and moved on through the several doors within the long grey-painted hallway leading to the open ground for the launch of the new spaceship Shooting Star, Kirika's claws chipped off the edge of the tiled floor without a sound.

According her and Oriko's extensive research, the Shooting Star was the first spaceship to utilize one simple goal: to live on the Moon and start terraforming it into a green planet, full of life. It was a real miracle in itself, when scientist (a girl) had developed the formula to turn deserts and/or space rock into fertile ground using a mix of 0.01% plutonium, 0.03% selenium, and water filled with tritium to break down silicon into nitrogen and oxygen, which in turn breaks down the plutonium and tritium into environmentally safe products, which also in turn decontaminates the nitrogen and oxygen in the process. The only trouble they'd be having is actually reusing the tritium, but otherwise, it was enough to create a small, fertile dome, enough to cover a part of the planet in a green spot. The water itself helps to keep lunar dust from swirling into the normal civilian's lungs, while several air filters are designed to filter out as much lunar dust as possible as the dome is being built – the only thing that would be missing is planting cacti, then legumes to help in forming the necessary nutrients to start vegetation. The glass itself, which ought to function like the Earth's atmosphere, without the clouds, would be responsible for deflecting cosmic rays and what not, while magnets placed around the vicinity would attract gamma rays. It was, in fact, an ambitious project: most likely only possible with a magical girl's wish.

"What a waste," Kirika sounded sarcastic, too sarcastic in fact. "Who cares if the moon turned into a paradise? In the end, it's just a desolate satellite void of life which happens to revolve around our precious Earth. It's no paradise for people to live on."

"I can hear you, there," Oriko's telepathic voice reached her ears.

"Eeep! O-O-Oriko-sama…" Kirika jumped, turned around and took cover at the nearest bush. "H-How…?"

"I have some new so-called allies to help me…" Oriko smiled.

"Eeeeeeh," Kirika groaned. "You don't need them… I can do everything you ask of me."

"Eh…" even over the voice, Oriko's voice reeked on irony,"…you can broadcast me right now in all forms of media…?"

"Err…" Kirika stopped for a moment. "… I can do anything as long as I have enough time. HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"No." Oriko straighten her tone.

"Alright… we're ready to roll."

Kirika's ears puffed the second she heard a voice she couldn't recognize.

"Oriko-san!"

"You know you're gonna pay for it if you continue to be like that, Kirika-chan."

"Okay…"

She straightened down her pitch, and went straight for the open space. With a single glance, she destroyed the camera at the site with a single strike with all her might.

ニエニエニエニ『Meanwhile in Beijing, China』エニエニエニコ

"Zhao!"

"Maaaaa... (Mom), I'm not done yet. Can you wait for me for a bit?"

A voice permeated throughout the dark room. The long fluorescent tube flickered in a measly beat as the girl in the bottom continued on holding onto a single 'weapon', a welder. Beside this welder, in her other hand was a crumpled blueprint, filled with a hundred scratch marks or corrections. At her front was a TV. To be precise, it was a Cathode Ray TV, one of the old, vintage ones, to be exact, complete with its washed out wooden sides and worn out rotating mechanism – most likely the channel output. The protector in her face… was mostly a decoration; one time when she was looking at the mirror she honestly thought it was quite cool, so ever since she started welding she would wear it simply out of her weird sense of fashion. Her coat, despite the whole place covered in welded smog, kept a clean white look. Her hair, swirling around as it kept on fluttering without a speck of a breeze, eventually wrapped a remote and clicked the Power Button.

"It was supposed to be today, right?"

She was talking to herself.

"The Shooting Star," she grinned. "I'd loooove to get my hands on it. Hehehe… maybe I should try installing warp drive on it. Then redirect the path to a wormhole I discovered days ago in the Alpha Centuari System. Or maybe I should install a time trans-fluctuation device and teleport Albert Einstein and Albert Hitler in this time… ooh the possibilities would have been endless!"

The broadcast kept on iterating the different technologies currently present within the new spaceship of the NASA, which has now officially given support by the UN. Well, it's not as if she hated new technology. One word was to describe the current situation in the new spaceship and terraforming developments: boring. It was entirely predictable, given its roots. And, displaying the large spaceship which had been equipped with tons of gorilla glass, the spaceship rocket was ready for its legendary lift off.

"In merely 5 minutes, the Shooting Star is going to launch directly into the moon. Armed with the new, yet highly costly anti-gravity technology created from the principles of the Higgs Boson," the boring male American reporter continued blabbering on stuff she already knew long ago. "This technology was created by the world famous scientist, Scarlet Liliac."

"Scarlet Liliac…" Within seconds, she had fully remembered her name. "Wait, wait, wait… why did that journalist mention her name? Isn't she like… 14?"

Within seconds, however, the TV's signal was replaced by something she hasn't seen in a long, long time: static.

『Zhao's Soul Gem: 12% Tainted』

"Well, well, well, this is … interesting."

She had dropped the welder and was now staring intently at the screen, waiting for the next thing to happen.

ニエニエニエニ『Meanwhile in Quezon City, Philippines』エニエニエニコ

Michelle continued to stare at the screen. She was ready to use her powers and smash it to smithereens.

"AAAAAAHHHH…!" Michelle's trashed around in her fit of range. "WHY THE HELL IS THIS HAPPENING?! PUTA! PUTA! PUTAAAA!"

"Now, now," Angel was holding her by the shoulder with both of her hands. If she was to even loosen up one bit, Michelle would have already slashed open the monitor with her powers. "We've experienced this kind before right?"

"But this is Cable for Pete's sake! Okay… I would have still calmed down if this was my own home, but this is Robinson's Galleria for Pete's Sake!" Michelle pouted. "Hmph!"

Sure enough, this was the Robinson's Galleria. Part of the crowd at the front of the large screen at the center of what was, before, a fountain, many people around them continued their businesses. However, several people took notice of the complaining girl, but moved on and bounced their gazes back at the screen. However, someone within the crowd spoke up:

"Eh? My phone's static!"

"Eh?" Angel instinctively reached for her Galaxy Ace. Sure enough it also displayed the same static screen.

"What's happening?" Michelle, now taking the matter as seriously as she can, took her own Nokia 3310 cellphone. It, too, was static. Yet, according to its technical specifications, it can only hold two colors, the screen itself which is a light green, and a monotone black. A static image like this should have been totally impossible.

"Is someone… contacting everyone?" Angel deduced. "If I'm right, then every single monitor is already covered in the same static."

"I have a bad feeling about this." Michelle's hand was shaking with an unprecedented intuition. "Remember the issue with the MGE?"

"I remember that." Angel started walking towards the left exit, opting Michelle to follow her. "How is it the same though?"

She passed through an Electronics Store. Sure enough, every single screen she passed by displayed the same static image. She glanced at several people, who were frantically removing the plug on the screen without any effect at all. The static screen remained, without even the aid of electricity. She had reached for the rotating exit, and noticed that even the digital advertisement monitors echoed the same static image.

"Wait-"

Both had stopped.

The static screen was static no more.

What was displayed in every screen… was white-clothed Japanese-looking girl instead.

ニエニエニエニ『Meanwhile in The Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia』エニエニエニコ

"I can't say 'Hello' in every language in the world, but I can sufficiently say 'Hello' in English."

The girl's voice echoed through the wide, wide screen, echoing through surrounding several small monitors that was supposed to display military Intel instead. Everyone was in a daze, still dumbfounded on why or how did this simple girl be able to hack into every screen in the Pentagon. Contacting the outside world has failed, thus far, save for screen-less phones. Word has gotten out: every screen, most likely throughout the entire city, displayed the same girl.

"In case you all haven't realized yet," the girl in the screen cleared her throat, and continued her calm tone. "Every single monitor in the entire world is displaying this broadcast right now. It's all courtesy of a new alley – the puella magi / magical girl, Hikari-chan."

"Magical girl? Puella magi?" whispers and mutterings echoed throughout the entire room. Unsure what to say, a certain military officer stepped into the Pentagon's main Intel room. Her comparatively small, russet eyes, met the other girl's mysteriously familiar face. Her unkempt face differed from the other girl's provocative one, yet, without a doubt, she could sense with her own heart that it was but one and the same. She couldn't notice how she had stepped into the wide screen, keeping her composure all this time, and taking in the time to think about the words she would need to say.

"Master Sergeant Sarah Cornelia, is there something wrong?"

She shook her head, totally ignoring the question of her secretary. Words slipped through her mouth.

"This is Sarah Cornelia of the US Army." Her hesitation had completely vanished. "I don't need any such formalities in return, but may I ask: how exactly did you manage to hack into every single monitor in the world?"

She saw into the girl behind the monitor, displaying a mix of surprise and relief. It was a mystery, but, did she actually expect her to reply? She was sure enough that something pushed her to slip some words into the screen, where no microphones existed, nor recorders anywhere, but what could be that thing? Within the next second, however, her doubts have been officially confirmed.

She had completely heard what she had said.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ーー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

**SMA Sarah Cornelia**

_Weapon_  
>Snipers

_Nationality_  
>American-British<p>

_Specialty_  
>Ability to focus whatever the situation is<p>

_Description  
><em>As the military started to accept female recruits into the Army, only a few ones who had the willpower to pursue the very top of the ranks can acquire such a power and, consequently, prove to the feminist world of the endless potentials of women. Sarah Cornelia, being part of the military's HQ staff on the age of 15, was a wonderful demonstration of this miraculously optimistic point of view. Yet, little do people know that the only reason she had been able to reach such a rank with such a short age was because of one thing: her sole wish – to be able to focus on everything she needs to. When she has her eyes on her target, it's a 100% probability that it's a sure shot from her 3000 meter sniper, made from the fruits of her wish. At first glance, it simply looks like a normal sniper with a ridiculously high range enough for sure shot at a really safe distance, but in reality, it's her own magic weapon, which reflected the very nature of her entire being.

However the situation is, whatever kind of fear she may have, however far the opponent is, as long as she can see her enemy, even just a part of it, her ability allows her to focus on it, and shoot with deadly accuracy, whether it's the forehead, the arm, the left ear hammer, or just enough to leave a 1 millimeter scratch wound on the right index finger. However, as she has a relatively low magical potential, enough to keep her Soul Gem alive without taint for 3 months straight, she rarely goes out of her way to fight witches, but is responsible to keep structures like The Pentagon to be overrun by a witch.

She is one of the rare magical girls who retain her own uniform when transforming. This is because her military uniform IS her magical girl suit. While not fitting for a typical magical girl, she keeps her composure at all times, and cannot easily be provoked. She, however, like everyone else, displays emotions, albeit she suppresses them as a way of further reducing her magical output.

ー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ーー～ー～ー～ー～ー～ー

ニエニエニエニ『Meanwhile in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia』エニエニエニコ

"I'm quite surprised someone already realized that anyone will be able to ask questions if you're proper enough to ask."

The girl gave a hearty laugh.

"I'm sure everyone heard it… did all of you not?"

The girl, in front of the screen of her Nokia Lumia 960, silently nodded in affirmation. The dark-eyed girl looked at the others who were staring at the nearest monitor they can stare at. A slight worry overcame her, as she continued to run through the quiet crowd.

"Hikari…" the girl opened her iPhone 4S, but it was the same screen that opened instead. She continued to mutter with a sigh. "…first you declare the emergency in Japan at the highest level, then you help these puella magi to create a broadcast throughout the entire world? I hope you're doing the right thing."

"Trust me," Hikari's voiced her thoughts in return. "This is me doing the right thing. It's just a once-in-universe thing, you know…"

"Alright," she smiled in response. "Let me contact the other MGE members in the UN. I'll need to prepare a lot of paperwork for each of the remaining countries' presidents now… I hope that training you had in wish magic control paid off…"

ニエニエニエニ『Meanwhile in the middle of nowhere, above the archipelago of Indonesia』エニエニエニコ

"This is the very first thing I'd like to tell every person in the world: that there is no time left."

The girl's stereo voice reflected upon her HTC Cookie. This is just taking broadcasting to impossible levels. How so, perhaps? She is currently at 100,000 meters above sea level, right at the level where insane UV levels would have caused people to develop skin cancer. Seeing the entire archipelago of Indonesia right in front of her eyes, a small black spot caught the girl's attention. She flew right towards it with her wings as pure white as light, but felt an insanely pulsing sensation not to go.

"A serious matter, huh." She flapped her wings backwards, and dived towards the ground, smiling with an exhilarating pulse. "Obviously, as a magical girl myself, I cannot allow this."

The broadcast continued.

"Against all taboos: that's what my position is right now. And speaking to you now is already against all taboos. But, be reminded… that we are now at war. And in war we must never hesitate. And wars only serve to destroy the defeated. And that's why winning is must, if ever we want to save this world – save humanity."

The girl beyond the monitor breathed in.

"Just as girls like me, whose wishes have turned into a wonderful power… there are also those who oppose humanity: the ones who turn despair into power. We call them witches, once hidden within places you might not even imagine… slums, abandoned factories, etc. And now, Japan is being engulfed by a powerful witch, enough to swallow the world into a new age of despair, similar to a new Ice Age, similar to the events that had led to World War III where millions have died as witches ran rampant across the European front: its name – Kriemhild Gretchen. In 24 hours, Japan will disappear from the edge of the map."

She instinctively gulped.

"Then…" she couldn't help but speak over her phone. She already knew if she was proper enough, her voice will reach that girl and the world as well. "… there's a way right?"

She nodded.

"In 5… No, scratch that. In 4 days, we're going to deploy at least a thousand puellae magi for the ultimate battle against Kriemhild Gretchen. That's why we need the help of every magical girl in the world, especially those in the Southeast Asia, Eastern Russia, and countries that might be fully affected by its exponentially expanding border."

She grinned, took out a wireless phone, and, as the distance from the ground neared 10,000 meters, held a single button, automatically calling its speed dial assignment. A hoarse, yet feminine voice returned the call with a smile.

"I think I know what you're thinking right now. I didn't expect your voice to actually reach that girl… hehehe…"

"Redundancy not needed, Ishir."

"Don't worry, Khashi," the voice sounded optimistic, "we'll get there before you could say kowabongga."

The clouds passed her, replacing it with the miniature version of the city – her home – instead.

ニエニエニエニ『Meanwhile in The Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 in Merritt Island, Florida』エニエニエニコ

"What's happening?" the scientist moaned at the scene right in front of his own eyes. With his binoculars, he saw a figure, one by one, jumping from camera to camera and hacking them away along the way, as the figure dashed towards the Pad A, where the famous new shuttle, dubbed the Shooting Star was bound for the Moon. It was around 1:45 AM, yet he still had the energy actually to complain and panic. "S-Someone stop it! I-It's… ruining everything!"

"We've already deployed the security guards and the city," the chief of the local police was the one speaking right at the entrance. "But no one could even land a shot on it. That thing's simply too fast!"

A 14-year old girl right at back to the two, instead of actually looking at the scenery from above the Control Tower down to the dangerous open grounds, glued her eyes to the screen. She was listening word for word… sentence per sentence, with a worrisome look. Her hands took hold of the wireless microphone and threw it sideways into the noisy scientist.

"Shush, you two." Scarlet Liliac's childish-sounding voice overcame theirs. "Can't you see how this broadcast is more important than some shuttle that can easily be built with time?"

"But, Ms. Liliac," the scientist's hands spread out and pointed at the scenery just below them. It's as if he was now begging to her, despite probably being around 20 years older. "We've spent 6 months perfecting this plan. We can't simply put it all to trash, just like that."

Annoyed, Liliac rose in her seat and pointed at the ground.

"For once, Mr. Defiant and Absent-Minded," the girl was cuddled in an inbound rage. "That thing you call a THING is a SHE. Second, she's not aiming at the shuttle; she's aiming at the cameras. Third, she hasn't hurt anyone. Fourth, she's magical girl and, if you were actually listening to the broadcast, and you, all of you, have no such chances to even match her."

Scarlet Liliac had calmed down after the ensuing sermon, sat down back in her seat, gazed back into the screen, and continued to listen to the still persistent broadcast. Her superiors are probably whacking their heads right now at the revelation more than the puella magi that may be slashing down the entire shuttle with her scarlet claws, she thought. They might found out that the reason was such a genius was because of her being a magical girl. But despite that, she continued on staring at the monitor, right at the bat. However, something is off. Without her noticing, she was suddenly asking the magical girl who had done all of this.

"I," her voice surprised the two men, "as someone of equal terms with you, understand the situation right now. However, I'm skeptical about one thing: Puella Magi need this one thing called a Grief Seed, found in witches by a ratio of around 30%, according to my calculations. How do you propose we can go there and simply fight with such a shortage? In fact, there is only around 1 or 2 magical girls within a town or city just for her to fend for herself."

"A good question, Scarlet Liliac." The girl in front of the monitor nodded. "Actually, you being a real genius, you should understand everything right? However…"

A smile covered her.

"We've devised a way… to constantly reuse Grief Seeds." She was serious, yet it was very easy for this girl, Scarlet Liliac, to dismiss it as sarcasm. "To be precise… no, actually what I said was a real understatement. We've discovered how to completely override a truth some of the magical girls may know regarding themselves: that there's the limit of magic."

"WHAT?!" It wasn't her voice, but the voices of around 5 people. But, sure enough, this reaction reflected hers so perfectly.

Her hands were vigorously shaking. Her head was screaming inside her: impossible… impossible… impossible… that's impossible. No, it wasn't a simple understatement. She knew the truth behind magical girls. She knew that magical girls turn into witches. She had researched far and low, trying to reverse that one-way loop, trying to avoid Kyubey's ever watching eye. In almost every instance, one conclusion could only be reached: there's no way. Despite that, because she believed that Kyubey uses this so-called Despair as an energy source to combat entropy. The first question popped in her mind: what is "Despair" as an energy source? How did Despair become energy? How did energy that wasn't supposed to be there simply 'exist', and why did it have to be girls, not boys, who have a lot more mood swings in some cases? She couldn't answer those questions. And yet… and yet, someone simply overrides every monitor in the world and says that they've done it?

"Mr. Worrywart Scientist," she turned her back on the monitor and, standing up, into the door now in front of her. "Please arrange a personal jet to San Francisco, California."

"W-W-Wha-…?"

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"A reusable cleaner, huh?"

She, clothed half by half by a frilly red and white dress, slurped her tongue. Recalling the background which displayed the girl's wonderful figurine, she looked far beyond the endless backdrop of skyscrapers, and materialized binoculars out of nowhere, searching for the girl in question. Finally, her eyes glittered with gluttony.

"Finally, we'll finally have something to clean all these gems in my… ahem, our new collection." She materialized a music box out of nowhere, and took several small capsule-like containers, each containing a girl and a Soul Gem placed right next to it. For some reason though, the container neutralized any attempts for the girl to even become conscious, or for it to be tainted even further. "…it was a pain, you know, trying to get each of them out of … what did they call it? Was it The Freezer?"

"Oi, oi," she spoke again, but in a rather different tone. It wasn't as different from the last, however. "Isn't it going to directly conflict with our new master's plans?"

"Hehe… don't worry, Luca-chan," she replied, "As long we don't mess with her or her plans, we'll be fine."

"Hmm… when I think about you're right." She affirmed, taking the container back at the music box. "Let's do it! Let's do it!"

She jumped from the roof towards pedestrian road, filled with the still crowd of people. Without a care in the world, she threw what seems to be an old Gameboy Advance right towards the road, and smashed it with her finger-powered white ray gun.

"Ayase Souju," she grinned. "Back in duty, kyun!"

ニエニエニエニ『Meanwhile in the St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City』エニエニエニコ

"We need your help, whether it's for your selfish purposes of gaining the new technology, or for the thrill of actually being a part of saving the world. We need everyone's help."

With a loud crashing sound, the large projector broke open into hundreds of little pieces, especially after specifically hitting it with a red axe. With the monitor gone, so did the echoing sound of that girl dissipated without a trace. Based on this fact, the broadcast can't be cut short by anyone, but it seems that breaking monitors has been found to be the simplest way of muting that politically gifted hypocrite. That's what the nun, Maria de Hesus, has been doing all this time, at least when it comes to holding meetings. She held a simply stained glass of the Mary and Jesus Christ that shone with an ever holy light, piercing down onto the large church grounds, as if approving this brutal method. It's not as if they're killing humans, not that normal people knew what she's about to do with it.

"So that's what's happening huh…"

She happened to talk to a girl, similar to her age, if not for the fact that she was a nun, and the other she was talking to was but an artist. She held a Galaxy S III on her right hand, where a conspicuous teal-twin-tailed child continued on pushing a window from the side, making an anime-like effort face.

"Well, aren't we going to help?" she finally asked.

"… and who is going to protect Vatican City from witches in the mean time? It may be 4 days, but 4 days is more than enough for a witch or so to ravage this small city." the girl with a long umber-colored silky hair answered the question with a question. "With Kyubey gone, can we even recruit someone?"

"Puella Magi will move here to compensate for the lack of territory, then problem solved!" she replied with a glee. "Now c'mon, let's help 'em."

"No."

"Pleaaaase…?"

"No."

"Oh don't be that cruel," she laughed it off with a remark. "I mean, look at Miku… she's being well and all."

"Don't be a fool." She rebuked the ungrateful girl. "She's having a hard enough time trying to block that hypocrite's undying I-wanna-save-the-world message…"

"Miku can handle herself," she puffed her chest. "Isn't that right, Miku-san!?"

"Uguuuuu~" Contrary to the girl's lightweight words, Miku WAS, in fact, having a hard time. "I don't even get where this broadcast is coming from."

"Either way," the nun clarified her point. "I'm not going."

"Suit yourself…"

She reached for her other phone, and took out a Lenovo smartphone from her right hand. A clear distinct message echoed through the wide open aisle.

"Like I said earlier," the girl at the other side cleared her throat. "We've discovered how to completely override a truth some of the magical girls may know regarding themselves: that there's the limit of magic, so it's a no-holds-barred attack."

"Hmm…" the nun focused on the girl's words, "Sounds like the truth, alright. Okay, let's go."

"Eh?"

ニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニエニコ

"We have yet to calculate the cost of gathering a thousand puellae magi to San Francisco or the consequences of leaving the South east countries for 4 days," Oriko was finalizing her speech, "But please, be assured that, whatever happens from here on out, we'll figure it out. Do not panic."

Oriko raised an eyebrow, looking at the back of the camera. A certain girl was already crossing her arms in a hurried fashion, and took out her Soul Gem. Its taint, reaching of around 75% simply by looking, signaled the proactive girl to open her mouth one last time.

"Well then," Oriko smiled. "Let the showdown begin."

With that, every screen in the world was cut short.

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Kazumi Sakura looked beyond the entire San Francisco, California. She frowned, looking at the city from afar. While she herself was a tank, who didn't even wobble even with the strong wind. Her cloak, however, wasn't. With a strong gust, her cloak flew against this force, fluttering with the sound of a usurped flag. Her dress, while very similar to Kazumi's, the earrings was missing; there was no trace of a Soul Gem anywhere. She opened her mouth agape at the scenery at the site of San Francisco, whose noise had been reduced to nothing, leaving behind the voice of the never-ending wind.

"So, Homura-chan…" she whispered to the wind, hoping that someone will hear it, "In this new stage, will you … finally know who you are?"

She disappeared without a trace.

(Play Magia [Quattro ver.])  
>『To Be Continued...』<p>

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><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

As a new season comes, new hopes and dreams turn into despair, and this despair always becomes a sure hope as well.

Konichiwa, everyone, and welcome to the new season of Homura and the Apocalyptic Rift. Hehe, it's not as if it's going to be turned into anime, but rather, this is supposedly the signal that something else is in stored for everyone. Get ready as the world descends into darkness, as the entire drama escalates, and as the major events throughout the world turn into a tidily convenient situation… and then the truth will reveal itself. You can say that Season 1 is a long "Introductory Season" of the main forces of this fic series. Or rather, Season 2 will focus on the world side of things. And of new allies and some returning enemies from the Kazumi manga. And finally of the war at large.

Get ready to rock and roll, and burst your heads out as Homura and the army head out into the void – the Apocalyptic Rift that separates the light from the darkness, and relative truth from the real truth.

On an unrelated note, this is Ayase Souju's debut in PMMM fanfiction… I think? (I wonder if Lisek's series or Moiderah's series also mentioned her though. I have read both; I simply forgot…) Say hello! That is… if you don't want your Soul taken. :3

I guess this is my new long chapter record, ever: approximately 10,400 words... or is it 10,800?

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>Preview:<p>

"Everything comes to an end. This is the reality that everything functions with. Not even you, or Oriko, or anyone will stop it. No one can. Only the void – the creeping darkness – remains. I have already told you this, and I'm going to tell you again: eternity is a fantastic illusion."

Next episode: "Into the endless void."


End file.
